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THE LITTLE WASHINGTONS’ 
RELATIVES 


\ 








- 








































\ 

\ 




, 

THE LITTLE 
WASHINGTONS’ 
RELATIVES 


BY 

S. WAUKLEY ROY / 



THE PLATT & NOURSE CO. 



Copyright, 1918, by 

THE PLATT & NOURSE COMPANY ' 


NOV 12 1918 ' 



©CI.A508118 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The City Cousins ..... 7 

II. The Custis Wedding Party . . 24 

III. Martha Custis" Story . . . : . 41 

IV. Washington the General . . 57 

V. The Boston Tea Party . . ,. . 73 

VI. The Battle of Boston ... 89 

VII. Battles About New York . . . 104 

VIII. Earning the Prizes . . 122 

IX. The Army Wins Uniforms . . . 136 




















• •' 














































THE LITTLE 
WASHINGTONS’ 
RELATIVES 


CHAPTER I 

THE CITY COUSINS 

i C T HEARD the automobile horn, 
X Martha !” shouted George Parke, 
jumping from the newel post of 
the front veranda steps, where he had 
perched himself to await the Philadel- 
phia cousins who were expected that 
morning. 

“I didn’t hear anything but Jim 
squealing ’cause his mammy won’t let 
him peek around the corner of the 
house,” scorned Martha Parke, his sis- 
ter, a year and a half younger than 
George. 


7 


8 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 


“Well, it’s time for them to be here,, 
anyway,” argued George, with the usual 
finality of a boy past ten years of age. 

“I wonder what they look like. Can 
you remember either one when we vis- 
ited Philadelphia five years ago?” ven- 
tured Martha. 

“All I can remember is Anne having 
yellow hair and her pinafore always 
twisted in her hands, and Jack going 
around with that little paper mat that 
he wove in kindergarten school his first 
day. Don’t you remember how he took 
it to bed with him, and all the red paper 
came off on his pillow during the night 
when he breathed on it, and his motheij 
thought he was bleeding at the nose 
and mouth?” and George laughed at 
the dim recollections of five years ago. 

“Oh, yes, I remember that! Wasn’t 
it funny when his nurse scrubbed and 
scrubbed to get the red dye from his 
face, and all the soap-suds got in his 
mouth so’s he yelled and fought!” 
laughed Martha also. 

“And don’t you remember the day we 
were left alone to play while aunty took 


The City Cousins 


9 


mother to the opera — we couldn’t go out 
’cause it rained so hard, and we began 
sliding down the marble end of the bath 
tub? That was fun — just like winter 
when the snow is on the ground,” re- 
minded Martha. 

“Yes, and then two of us tried to slide 
down at the same time and got stuck in 
the bottom of the tub. Jack was big- 
ger, so he pulled himself out, and in 
doing so managed to turn on the faucet. 
My, but wasn’t I wet that day !” roared 
George, slapping his knee. 

“Oo-oh, but do you remember how 
Uncle Fred scolded when he saw the 
scratches our shoes had made in the 
porcelain tub?” breathed Martha, still 
fearful of that escapade. 

“Ha, ha ! Martha, do you remember 
the day we went to the zoo and fed 
peanuts to the monkeys? Wasn’t that 
funny when the chimpanzee caught 
iAnne’s little straw hat and carried it to 
the top of the cage and put it on his 
own head? I’ll never forget how we 
all screamed to him to bring it back — 
as if the monkey understood us.” 


10 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“Even the animal trainer couldn’t 
make him give it back, and Aunt Ally 
begged him to leave it, as she would not 
take it again, anyway,” chuckled Mar- 
ha, picturing the scene again. 

“That was a fine visit, Martha — eh?” 
said George, looking at his sister for 
smiling approval. 

“Yes, and I’ve been thinking, George, 
we ought to give our cousins just as 
good a time while they visit us here,” 
said the little girl. 

“Oh, I’ve got it all planned out — you 
wait and see!” declared George. 

“You have? Oh, you never said a 
word to me about it! Do tell me what 
it is.” 

“Well, in the first place, we have to 
ake them all over and introduce them 
to John Graham and his place,” said 
George, counting off the plan on his 
fingers. 

“Uh-huh — and don’t forget Jim. We 
must introduce Jim, you know,” re- 
minded Martha. 

“Da’s right! Yo’ all jus’ cough when 
yo’ want’s me an’ Ah’ll pop right out. 


The City Cousins 11 

i 

I’se hidin’ heah now whar mammy 
cain’t see me,” came a hoarse whisper 
from the Virginia creeper vine at the 
side of the porch. 

“Oo-oh, you there, Jim — come out 
and let’s plan things,” called George, 
running over to drag out a seven-year- 
old pickaninny who was their constant 
shadow and general factotum, — espe- 
cially so when there was mischief brew- 
ing, for Jim always was the scapegoat. 

Jim resisted for a few moments, as he 
feared his mammy’s large, flat hand; 
but George assured him that as he was 
invited to be present at the reception 
of the city cousins it was all right with 
mammy. 

“As I was telling Martha — we must 
plan some great fun for our cousins’ 
visit here, ’cause they gave us such a 
good time when we were little chil- 
dren,” explained George, now an old 
man past the age of ten. 

“First we’re going to show them all 
over the place — take them over to 
John’s and everywhere,” added Martha, 
explaining. 


12 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“An’ show dem whar we-all had th’ 
homestead fire at th’ back uv th’ lot,” 
reminded Jim, feeling tenderly of his 
now fuzzy new crop of hair grown 
since his other locks had been sizzled 
off. 

“And don’t forget to tell them all 
about the battle we had with John and 
his cousins at Fort Duquesne that day. 
Of course they will see the broken-down 
hedge and wonder at it — then we can 
tell them all about the fun without 
bragging,” giggled Martha. 

“We’re not through with that affair 
yet, either,” added George. “I read in 
our history this morning that Braddock 
was not killed that same day, but Wash- 
ington pulled him out of the fight and 
tried to save his life, and for that great 
deed, General Braddock bequeathed his 
wonderful charger and also his body- 
servant, Bishop, to Washington. After 
that Washington always rode that fa- 
vorite horse and Bishop went every- 
where the general went.” 

“I’se kin be Bishop, Marser Garge! 
Cain’t we borrer John’s pony for th’ 


The City Cousins .13 

charger some day when we-all play tha’ 
battle agin?” asked Jim eagerly. 

“Sure! That’s what I planned,” 
quickly added George, to cover any de- 
lighted surprise he felt at Jim’s novel 
idea. 

“Then, when we get all through with 
showing our cousins how we fought 
that ambush of Indians, when Jim hit 
John on the stiff beaver with the 
hatchet, we can finish the play. There’s 
lots to be played out in that battle. For 
instance, we buried Braddock right off, 
you see, and we ought to have dragged 
him away while the Indians tried to 
scalp him. We can let him die after we 
get him to a settlement, and bury him 
decently with a fine funeral. Think of 
all the fun we can have putting John 
down in a real hole and throwing flow- 
ers on top of him!” planned George 
zealously. 

“No, George, that won’t be nice ! We 
mustn’t play things like that at all! I 
hate to see funerals and hear people 
cry, and I never want to make-believe 
any such thing!” objected Martha. 


14 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“ ’Sides, Garge, yo’ mommer’ll pun- 
ish yo’ agin ef we put John in the 
groun’ and play he’s daid!” warned 
Jim ominously. 

“And we can kill John by just pre- 
tending we did and jump that grave 
scene,” quickly suggested Martha. 

“We-el, you two are too young for 
such play, I s’pose, but it would have 
been great to creep out to the back 
hedge some dark night and do that 
Braddock death-bed scene with John! 
I’d be reading the service from a book, 
and the rest of you could be weeping 
and wringing your hands while Jim 
dropped John in the grave. Then we’d 
cover him with bushes and things so’s 
the Indians couldn’t find him — they 
wanted his scalp, you know,” sighed 
George, , as he reluctantly sacrificed the 
impressive scene at the urgent request 
of his two companions. 

“Then what? When we finish Brad- 
dock what shall we play?” asked Mar- 
tha. 

“Then it will be time for us to use 
those old-fashioned costumes we found 


The City Cousins 


IS 


in the attic the day Jim came down the 
rope and thought he was killed. We 
must have George getting married now 
— ’cause he must begin the American 
Revolution and do lots of things that 
he did after he was married. Of course, 
I could play all he did without getting 
married, but as long as you’re here and 
will want to play with us, I’ll marry 
you, and then leave you at Mount Ver- 
non while I go and have a good time 
fighting with the boys,” generously said 
George to Martha. 

“She didn’t! Martha Custis didn’t 
stay at home ! She followed the general 
when he camped in the winters, and did 
lots of fine things for the soldiers in 
the army. I’m going to play the same 
thing, and if you won’t let me I won’t 
marry you at all. I’ll get Jack to play 
husband instead, and I’ll marry him, so 
there!” 

“But, Martha, you can’t! Don’t you 
see no one but Washington would do 
for Martha Custis? — and besides, Jack 
must act another part, so he couldn’t 
marry you even if I’d let him !” argued 


16 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

George, anxious over a possible refusal 
of his suit to Martha. 

“Ah don’ see dat dat’s any fun — jes’ 
gettin’ dressed up in dat finery in de 
attic an’ gettin’ married. It’s heaps 
mon fun playin’ war and bein’ Injuns !” 
sneered Jim, who always was the Indian 
in these wars. 

“Oh, Jim! It will be lots of fun! 
You’ll be the cook to fix the fine party 
dinner, and Jack can play minister. 
John and Anne will be my children and 
.Washington’s step-children, you know,” 
explained Martha. 

“Kin we-all git some cookies an’ 
watermelyon fer de party?” asked Jim 
with sudden interest. 

“Sure ! I’ll get mother to ask mammy 
for some, and besides I’ll find some 
more good things to eat. John can 
bring some, too, and we can have a 
make-believe stove and cook lots of fine 
things that they had at that wedding 
supper,” 'replied George. 

“Den Ah’ll play cook!” agreed Jim. 

“S-sh! I know I heard a horn that 
time!” cried Martha. 


The City Cousins 


17 


“So’d I ! And see — down by the road 
that runs over the bridge of the creek — 
there comes the car!” shouted George, 
forgetting his wedding arrangements 
and wars in the imminent joy of seeing 
his cousins who were coming to have a 
long visit at the Parkes’ home. 

As you remember, George and Mar- 
tha Parke were the two children who 
played the youthful life of George 
Washington, in the first book called 
“Little Washingtons.” 

Their home was situated in the beau- 
tiful country suburbs of Washington, 
D. C., and being descended in one line 
of the illustrious Parke family of Wash- 
ington fame, naturally these children 
loved to hear all about the great Amer- 
ican general’s life. In September of 
that year Mrs. Parke began reading the 
history of George Washington’s life — 
beginning with his introduction when 
he chopped down the cherry tree. 

In the first book George and Martha 
Parke had heard read, and then applied 
to their play, the destruction of the 
homestead where George was born, the 


18 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

boy’s education, his surveying trips and 
camp, and finally the battle under Gen- 
eral Braddock, when the latter was 
killed at Fort Duquesne. 

Then, just as the two children found 
the old-fashioned costumes . (while be- 
ing shut in the attic for punishment for 
ruining the hedge at that momentous 
battle) and Jim crept out of the attic 
window and found himself on the 
ground, the story ended. But it starts 
again in this book with the Parke chil- 
dren watching for their cousins’ ar- 
rival. 

John Graham, the next-door neighbor 
of the Parke children, had not been 
heard from or seen that morning, but 
Jim, the only child of mammy, the cook 
in the Parkes’ household, was on hand 
to welcome the expected visitors; then, 
just as the machine turned in at the 
stone gateway to roll up the driveway, 
John Graham rushed breathlessly up 
from the side lawn. 

“Aren’t they here yet?” called John 
eagerly. 

“Just cornin’!” cried George, never 


The City Cousins 19 

taking his eyes from the fast-approach- 
ing automobile. 

“Heigh — hello there!” shouted a 
boy’s voice, as a smiling face showed 
beaming over the side of the limousine. 

“Hello, Jack! We’re glad to see 
you !” cried George, jumping down the 
steps to reach the terrace where the car 
stopped. 

Martha followed after her brother, 
but Jim and John stood in the back- 
ground, watching and wondering at the 
two strangers. The four cousins found 
they were not shy at all, and in fact, as 
they still retained the looks of former 
times, they soon felt very much at home 
with one another. Jack was a year the 
senior of George, and Anne was about 
a year older than Martha. 

The Philadelphia children had lost 
none of their fun-loving dispositions, 
although Mrs. Parke had hoped they 
had developed into models of perfec- 
tion. So this visit promised to be of 
great importance to the “Little Wash- 
ingtons” in many ways. Hence the 
warm welcome bestowed by George 


20 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

and Martha, and later by John Graham 
and the factotum, Jim. 

Mrs. Davis greeted her little niece 
and nephew affectionately, then she fol- 
lowed Mrs. Parke up the veranda steps 
and into the house. 

“Have you got to change your 
clothes before we do anything?” asked 
George, who wore his second-best suit 
and clean blouse-shirt. 

“Oh, I guess not. We’re all dusty 
from travelling anyway, so a little more 
dust won’t hurt any,” laughed Jack. 

“And mother said my dress had to 
go straight in the tub, ’cause I upset 
a glass of choklate soda all down the 
front,” added Anne, spreading out the 
dimity ruffled dress to show her com- 
panions. 

“Come on then and see the place. 
Jim’s got a rabbit hutch at the barns, 
and John’s going to lend us his pony 
when we want to use it in our play,” 
explained George, leading the group 
over the lawn by walking backward 
in front of them. 

Martha skipped on one side of the 


The City Cousins 


21 


two new arrivals, and John Graham on 
the other side, while Jim, the dark 
shadow, followed closely at their heels. 

“Say, you’ve got a dandy place for 
fun, haven’t you?” admired Jack, gaz- 
ing around at the wide expanse of 
lawns and gardens at the rear of the 
estate. 

‘Yes, but they always find us out just 
when we’re having the finest time!” 
sighed John dolefully. 

Jack laughed. “I’m sure they 
wouldn’t find me if I lived here! But 
Anne and I only have a yard in a city 
block. The front steps from the door 
go right down to the sidewalk, and 
there’s a little patch of grass in front 
of the basement windows, with an area- 
way going to the back kitchen. We 
have only as much open space on each 
side of our house as from here to there.” 
As he explained, Jack showed a dis- 
tance of five feet in front of him. 

“But you have the loveliest park only 
a few blocks away — and the museums, 
and zoo, and lots of things we haven’t!” 
said George enviously. 


22 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“You can’t have fun in the zoo 
or a museum as you can in the open 
like this place ; but we’ll make up here 
for not having the place in Philadel- 
phia, won’t we, Anne?” laughed Jack. 

“Yes, if George and Martha won’t 
have to spend all the time at lessons,” 
said Anne anxiously. 

“Oh, no, we were going to have a 
private teacher at home because the 
only school is so far away from us in 
winter, but the house-teacher mother 
engaged was taken sick and couldn’t 
come as soon as expected, so mother 
has been hearing our lessons and read- 
ing history to us. Now that your mother 
is visiting here, mother won’t have as 
much time to hear our lessons, see?” 
explained Martha eagerly. 

“And we can have all the more time 
for fun,” added George. 

“How about you, John?” asked 
Jack, turning to the little neighbor boy. 

“Oh, I was going to join George and 
Martha at their house for lessons this 
year — my mother and their mother ar- 
ranged it, you see, ’cause we are dis- 


The City Cousins 


23 


tantly related, too, but now I don’t have 
to study, either!” said John with satis- 
faction. 

“Then we’re all free for a fine time! 
You see, it just happened that the same 
week our school opened, the measles 
broke out so bad that they had to closq 
again for a short time ; and as every one 
we knew got the measles, mother hur- 
ried us off for a visit until the thing 
is over again,” laughed Jack, feeling 
very happy over the consequences of 
the epidemic. 

“Fine!” declared George, turning 
to lead the way to the last scene of 
battle — the broken-down hedge between 
the Grahams’ and Parkes’ country es- 
tates. 


CHAPTER II 


THE CUSTIS WEDDING PARTY 

f 4 \T O W that we’ve been all over the 
place, come up to the attic and 
let us show you the old trunk 
full of costumes,” urged Martha, as the 
five children returned from the inspec- 
tion of the grounds. 

“Maybe the folks’ll be looking for us 
to change our clothes,” ventured Anne, 
looking carefully at the windows of the 
house, as they came into view from the 
path where the children skipped or ran. 

“How long will it take you?” ques- 
tioned Martha. 

“Oh, we’ll have to take a bath, and 
my curls will have to be done over 
fresh, and a clean dress put on — dear 
me, we can’t have a speck of fun all 
starched up, you know!” complained 
Anne. 


24 


The Custis Wedding Party 25 

“Let’s get in without any one seeing 
us!” whispered George. 

“How?” chorused the others. 

“Mother and Aunt Ally will be on the 
front piazza or in the library. We’ll 
climb up on the balcony under the din- 
ing-room windows and get through that 
room to the pantry. There’s a back 
stairs in the butler’s pantry for the help 
to use. We can get to the third floor 
that way without being seen or having 
to go to the front at all,” explained 
George. 

“Good! You scout about first while 
we wait under the lilac bushes,” whis- 
pered John, pushing George into the 
open. 

Soon the anxious watchers saw 
George scramble over the railing of the 
low balcony and carefully open the out- 
side shutters that were generally kept 
closed when the dining-room was un- 
occupied. Then he disappeared 
through the open window, and shortly 
after reappeared to beckon his friends 
to follow him. 

One at a time, Indian fashion, they 


26 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

rushed over the grass and climbed the 
balcony. When all but Jim were inside 
the room, they breathed easier, but Jim’s 
bowed legs could not scramble up and 
over the rail as agilely as the others had 
and they had to venture out again to 
haul him up and over by his arms. 

Once safely sheltered by the darkened 
dining-room, they tiptoed toward the 
pantry. The swing door was hardly 
still upon the five figures that passed 
through, when ladies’ voices were heard 
as Mrs. Parke and Mrs. Davis came 
from the library to go out on the ve- 
randa and see where the children were. 

In the pantry, . on the table, stood a 
plate filled with iced cookies for after- 
noon tea. Chopped walnuts were 
thickly sprinkled on the icing and 
most tempting did the cakes smell. 
Naturally the children could not pass 
by without a sniff and that was their 
undoing. 

“My, but I’m hungry after that trip 
from Washington!” sighed Jack, eying 
the cakes. 

“We all are, I reckon! May as well 


The Custis Wedding Party 27 

carry these cookies with us as to wait 
to eat them later,” suggested George, 
looking to Martha for approval of the 
plan. 

“May as well! Carry dish and all 
to the attic — it will save Mary the work 
of washing extra plates,” came from 
thoughtful Martha, but had Mary been 
present she would have scorned the 
helpful suggestion. 

Quick as a flash, therefore, George 
and the dish disappeared up the back 
stairway followed by his four devoted 
friends. 

Safely harbored in the large attic 
room, the hungry children sat and ate 
the delicious cakes, till but two — the 
very smallest and scorched ones — re- 
mained on the plate for the two ladies. 

“They’ll want some with their tea,” 
suggested Martha generously, picking a 
large piece of walnut from the one she 
determined for her mother. 

“But they are not fond of sweets 
like we are,” hinted Anne, wistfully 
smacking her lips. 

“We’ve each had four — all but Jimj 


28 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

he had that broken half and three!” 
declared John manfully. 

“And we must not overeat cakes — 
there will be bread and jam with tea, 
you know,” cautioned George. 

“Set the dish outside the door and 
that will end the thing!” said Anne 
sensibly, as she picked up the plate 
and did as she suggested. 

The door was closed and locked to 
insure safety to the two cakes, in case 
any one of the five friends felt like 
venturing forth and taking a look at 
them. 

“Here’s the chest of clothes,” now 
called Martha, lifting the lid to dis- 
play the strange-fashioned garments. 

“Try on the flowered silk — and the 
powdered wig,” cried Anne eagerly, 
as she lifted the articles from the folds 
of paper. 

While the girls dressed in the quaint 
garments, the two boys, George and 
Jack, arrayed themselves in clothes 
worn at the time of the Civil War. John 
and Jim assisted enthusiastically and 
the laughter sounding from the attic 


The Custis Wedding Party 29 

drew the attention of old mammy the 
hurse, as she was passing down the 
second-floor hallway. She smiled and 
looked up the stairway, wondering 
what the youngsters were doing to 
make such a noise. 

“Ah rickon Ah’ll jes’ creep up an’ 
see ef der all right, murmured mammy, 
dropping her mending on a chair and 
going up. 

Outside the room door she spied the 
dish with the two small cakes in it. 
She picked this up with a surprised 
expression on her face, for she knew 
her daughter had baked delicious cakes 
for tea. 

“Ah wonner! Rickon Ah’ll tek dis 
right down in de kitchen an’ fin’ out ef 
them cakes is all safe an’ soun’ befoh 
Ah do anudder thing.” 

Old mammy followed her own sug- 
gestion, and the cook was shocked. 

“What! Dem fine cakes gone an’ 
nuttin for tea — an’ dat fine comp’ny 
heah, too!” 

“Now, Ah’m tellin’ yoh! Jes’ fix dem 
rapscalions fo’ onct! Tek dat ice cream 


30 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

yo fixed foh dinnah an’ serve it fer 
affernoon tea ’stead uv dose cakes. Tell 
Missus Parke why an’ den leave nuff 
ice cream fer de grown-ups fer dinner 
to-night !” advised old mammy. 

The cook pondered this suggestion, 
and as a smile gradually spread over 
her wide face, she clapped her hands 
on the table. 

“Jus’ what Ah’ll do. You jus’ wait 
an’ see!” 

“Now, don’ go an’ deprive dem chil- 
luns uv nuff to eat — Ah means some 
goodies,” warned old mammy. 

“See heah, mammy! Dis end uv de 
wuk am mine — an’ yoh’s is takin’ care 
uv de baby. Dem little limbs ain’ goin’ 
t’ eat up all de fancy eatin’s Ah bake, 
an’ mek de missus b’live Ah forgot t’ 
prepare fer her comp’ny!” 

So old mammy ascended the kitchen 
istairs again, fearing she had made a 
great mistake by warning her daughter 
in time that the cakes were gone and 
there was nothing for tea ! As she shook 
her gray head over the conflicts be- 
tween the cook and the children, she 


The Custis Wedding Party 31 


reached the second floor where the 
mending had been left. 

A voice calling from the library 
changed her current of despondency, 
and she leaned over the balustrade to 
reply. 

“Ah hear’n dem chilluns up in de 
attick, Mis Parke. Shall Ah tell ’em 
yoh wants ’em?” 

“Oh, please, mammy! And see if 
they are all dressed and ready for tea. 
I wish to ring for the tray,” replied 
Mrs. Parke. 

Mammy climbed the stairs once 
more and opened the door of the room 
whence sounds of merriment came. 
She stood in the doorway, taking in at 
a glance the extraordinary scene that 
met her eyes. 

John was robed in a long black cloth 
draped over his shoulders. He had on 
a maid’s white bib and shoulder straps 
cut from an old apron. The black 
material was the remnant of a felt table 
cover, very popular a score of years 
before ; but most of the wool embroidery 
had been eaten off by moths, so the 


32 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

gay colors could easily be hidden by 
the folds. 

He stood by the window with the 
great book on “Life of George Wash- 
ington” in his hands, reading aloud 
from it. 

Right before him stood Jack Davis 
and Martha — one robed in old-fash- 
ioned clothes worn by Parke ancestors 
before the Civil War, and the other 
dressed in the lavender flowered Wat- 
teau silk gown of her great-great-grand- 
mother. 

George was “best man” in a black 
swallow-tail coat with velvet cuffs, col- 
lar and pocket lapels. The buttons 
were gold-embroidered on black velvet. 
A high stock collar and a pot-shaped 
beaver hat gave him quite a Colonial 
appearance. 

Jim took the left-overs, and to make 
the best of the assorted items, donned 
as many of them as he could keep on. 
The effect was very funny, and caused 
the principals in the scene to burst out 
in laughter every time they took notice 
of his raiment. 


The Custis Wedding Part if 33 

The rehearsal of the Washington 
wedding scene was taking place when 
old mammy quietly opened the door 
and stood watching. 

“You didn’t come up right that time, 
Martha ; try it again. And, Anne, don’t 
stumble over her dress when you carry 
the train!” ordered George, waving 
back the two girls to try again. 

“How can I carry her train and 
drop flowers on the path at the same 
time? And if we’re to do it again, 
you’d better pick up the flowers,” com- 
plained i\nne. 

“Here, Jim — Hercules, I mean! 
You’re the servant now and you must 
do the chores,” ordered George, point- 
ing to some faded artificial flowers 
sprinkled on the floor before the black- 
gowned minister. 

Martha backed away, catching her 
satin high-heeled shoe in the very long 
Watteau pleats as she did so, and fran- 
tically catching at Anne to keep from 
falling. 

“Now, then, begin again,” said 
George, looking for Jack, the groom. 


34 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

to march slowly out from behind the 
high bookcase. As both bride and 
groom appeared, George played on a 
mouth-organ to delude the actors into 
a belief that it was a wedding-march. 

Martha, with bowed head covered 
with a piece of heavy lace window- 
curtain, marched across the floor, and 
Anne followed, holding the train with 
one hand and scattering the stiff old 
hat-trimmings with the other. Jim had 
to walk beside her and carry the basket. 

Old mammy couldn’t contain herself 
— she chuckled at the sight, but quick- 
ly dodged out of the door the moment 
she realized that she would be dis- 
covered. 

Sharp ears had heard the amused 
giggle, however, and Anne turned 
quickly to see who was at the door. 
As she did so, she stepped on Martha’s 
skirt, thus bringing the bride suddenly 
to a halt. Jim and Anne collided with 
Martha and the rehearsal almost ended 
disastrously for that day, as George 
was disgusted, and Jack threw himself 
on a near-by lounge to laugh. 


The Custis Wedding Party 35 

But the lounge had both back legs 
broken off, unseen or unknown to the 
children, and when Jack’s weight came 
against the upholstered back, the whole 
piece toppled over backward, rolling 
the occupant over with it. 

Jack yelled, George laughed, John 
dropped the heavy history book on his 
toe and cried, and the others stood in 
surprise waiting for Jack to crawl out 
from under the lounge and appear 
again, this time with cobwebs and dust 
covering him. 

Old mammy ran in at the clamor 
and helped the groom to his feet. Then 
all stood and laughed at the outcome 
of the first rehearsal of the great Wash- 
ington-Custis wedding. 

“Yoh mama says to come t’ tea! 
Mammy-cook baked some fine choklate 
cakes fer yo’ all,” said mammy se- 
riously. 

The wedding party exchanged looks 
with each other and it was seen that 
Jim appeared to be most uncomfort- 
able. He looked back of him and then 
at his granny, then at his companions- 


36 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

in-disgrace, but they seemed not to feel 
the same dismay at a possible punish- 
ment such as Jim had reasons to antici- 
pate. 

Old mammy helped the wedding 
party free itself of the many and en- 
tangling articles of dress, and then they 
all hurried down to tea, regardless of 
mammy’s pleading to wash and brush 
up. 

In the library, both mothers were 
waiting and chatting when the juvenile 
party rushed in. They never entered 
a room — it was either a mad rush from 
the hallway or a stealthy entrance 
through a window. 

“Why, children! Haven’t you been 
up in the bathroom washing and dress- 
ing after the journey, and preparing 
to come down to tea?” asked Mrs. 
Davis in surprise. 

“Oh, we prepared somewhat for tea, 
aunty, but not with soap and water,” 
replied Martha. 

“What have you been doing all this 
time? — and here is John, too. How 
do you do, John? Come here and meet 


The Custis Wedding Party 37 


George and Martha’s aunt from Phila- 
delphia,” said Mrs. Parke sweetly. 

As John shuffled over to shake hands 
with Mrs. Davis, a woolly head peeped 
from between the folds of the velour 
portieres, where a lean little body was 
completely hidden. Jim felt that, as 
Hercules the man-servant, he had a 
right to watch the toothsome refresh- 
ments disappear even if he couldn’t 
partake of the same. 

“Well, mother, we really hadn’t a 
moment’s time in which to wash and 
dress. We’ve visited the whole place, 
met John and Jim, and rehearsed for 
the wedding. So, you see, we have 
been a bit crowded for time in which 
to brush up,” explained Jack. 

“Wedding? What wedding?” asked 
Mrs. Davis, in surprise. 

Mrs. Parke thought she saw light, 
however, and turned to George. “Is 
the Custis wedding coming off soon?” 

“Yes, but Martha says she won’t 
marry me as Washington. She thinks 
Jack looks better in the cocked hat,” 
grumbled George. 


38 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“But looks never make the general i” 
laughed Mrs. Parke. 

Then, turning to the still amazed 
guest, she explained. 

“I have lately been reading the life 
of George Washington to the children 
and they have a great deal of fun play- 
ing the chapters as I read them. Only 
they sometimes have very realistic fun 
— for instance when they burned down 
the old homestead, and again when they 
went on a survey trip. Last week they 
had the dreadful battle between the 
French and British at Fort Duquesne, 
and as a result, our entire hedge is 
broken down for more than thirty feet 
in length.” 

“Thank goodness, then, that history 
has reached the point where Martha 
Custis subdues the fighting inclination 
of George,” laughed Mrs. Davis. 

The maid appeared with tea just 
then, and in the deep dish where so 
many tempting cakes had reposed in 
the early afternoon, there now were two 
lonely scorched cookies. Thin slices 
of buttered bread without jam, and hot 


The Custis Wedding Party 39 

waffles sugared but with no honey, 
caused consternation in all present. 

“Katy, is there any jam?” asked 
Martha. 

“Mammy say dat jam’s goin’ t’ stay 
locked up fer anudder day!” 

“Katy I” gasped Mrs. Parke. “What 
are these scorched cakes doing here?” 

“Cook say ast Marse George an’ 
Martha. Dey knows better’n we-all.” 

“Oh, yes, I remember, mother. When 
our cousins arrived they felt very weak 
and hungry, so I suggested a little bite, 
to keep them up till tea was served. I 
found the dish of cookies the most con- 
venient and, not wishing to disturb the 
cook, who was busy, I insisted upon 
their having a few,” explained George. 

And Martha hastily added: “Nat- 
urally, not wishing to make our vis- 
itors feel that they were giving us any 
trouble, we ate some cakes, too, to make 
them feel at home.” 

“Well, the cakes felt very much at 
at home, I’m sure!” laughed Mrs. 
Davis, who was accustomed to these 
escapades, as well as Mrs. Parke. 


40 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“But that need not deprive you ladies 
of the jam, you know!” hinted Jack. 

“Nor uv dis ice cream dat cook sent 
up fer de two ladies t’ tek de place 
uv dem cakes!” added Katy signifi- 
cantly, placing a deep dish of French 
cream before each one of the ladies. 

The children stared aghast at such 
partiality, and then looked at each 
other, wondering if they would have 
had ice cream, had they not eaten the 
cakes. 

At the discovery that no cakes or jam 
were to be served at that tea, Jim silently 
disappeared from the friendly por- 
tieres, and soon after appeared in the 
culinary department, watching for an 
opportunity to snatch a slice of bread 
and butter when his mammy’s back 
was turned. And, oh joy! An apple 
was right there by the homely chunk 
of bread. In another moment Jim 
and the apple were gone, and when 
mammy turned to put the apple in the 
barrel, the place knew it no more! 


CHAPTER III 

MARTHA CUSTIS' STORY 

M ANY eager eyes opened the fol- 
lowing morning to a dismal 
sight. Rain fell as if it meant to 
wash away everything on top of the 
earth. It continued to rain all morn- 
ing, and it thus behooved the ladies to 
provide amusement indoors for the 
active children. 

“I think I will read another chapter 
of Washington’s life,” suggested Mrs. 
Parke. 

“Read a quiet, uneventful chapter,” 
hinted Mrs. Davis. 

“Read about the battle of Bunker 
Hill!” cried George. 

“On a dreary day like this we ought 
to read about the dying of the first child 
of Martha Custis and then later, the 
death-bed scene of Colonel Custis. 

41 


42 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

Then we can fill in time with reading 
of Mrs. Custis’ life with her two re- 
maining children after she was 
widowed,” ventured Mrs. Parke. 

But the objections violently raised 
against such mournful readings, soon 
quieted both ladies and led them to see 
the wisdom of a more active tale for 
that day. 

“If you do not care to hear me read 
of Martha Custis’ bereavement per- 
haps you will like to hear of her second 
marriage?” said Mrs. Parke, turning 
over the pages of the book slowly. 

“Oh, aunty, do tell us how Washing- 
ton met Martha Custis and fell in 
love !” sighed Anne, the sentimental one 
of the group. 

“If the boys will keep quiet I will 
read that chapter, and then you girls 
must promise to listen to a battle scene 
which I will read to them.” 

They all promised to be model lis- 
teners, so Mrs. Parke began: 

“ ‘In the month of May, 1758, Wash- 
ington journeyed from Fort Loudoun 
to Williamsburg, and in the course of 


Martha Custis' Story 43 

travelling, he first met Martha Custis, 
the fair widow who was later to be 
his wife. 

“ ‘The Virginia regiment had great 
need of necessities, so Washington was 
sent with dispatches to urge and ex- 
plain to the Council and Assembly the 
imperative need of fitting the regiment 
properly before sending it to the cap- 
ture of Fort Duquesne. 

“ ‘So George Washington, riding the 
magnificent horse bequeathed him by 
Braddock, and accompanied by his 
servant also acquired in the same man- 
ner, was passing the county of New 
Kent, Virginia, when he met an elderly 
gentleman riding and looking about 
ias if familiar with the scenery. 

“ ‘Both riders halted, saluted and then 
rode on together. As they approached 
the avenue leading to a stately mansion, 
the elder man placed a detaining hand 
On the reins, and said: 

“ ‘ “Colonel, let it never be said that 
you passed the house of your father’s 
old friend without dismounting.” 

“ ‘ “But, my dear sir, I ride in haste 


44 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

to bear letters to our Governor in Wil- 
liamsburg,” objected Washington. 

“ * “Nevertheless, my dear colonel, 
you will dine with me, and borrow some 
of the fine moonlight to show you the 
way to the Governor. You will reach 
Williamsburg ere break of day.” 

“ ‘ “Do you promise to excuse me im- 
mediately after dinner?” asked Wash- 
ington. 

“ ‘ “With all the promptness of mili- 
tary discipline !” agreed the host. 

“ ‘Thus the young and gallant colo- 
nel resigned the reins of his spirited 
horse to Bishop, the English servant, 
with orders for him to be ready to 
pursue the journey the moment he, 
Washington, came forth. 

“ ‘The name and fame of the young 
colonel was dear to all Virginians, and 
the moment the family of the courteous 
Chamberlayne heard of the arrival of 
the military guest, each and every one 
yied to make it a delightful evening. 

“ ‘When Washington was introduced 
to the guests at dinner and he first met 
Widow Custis, he was fascinated by 


Martha Custis' Story 45 

her. Both were mutually pleased with 
each other, nor is this strange. The 
lady was fair to behold, of gracious 
manners, and well-endowed with world- 
ly benefits. The hero, famous, and with 
a form fit for the gods, was just the 
man to impress this lady. 

“ ‘The morning passed, dinner was 
concluded, and evening came, while 
Bishop, true to orders, stood at his post 
holding the charger which champed 
at the bit and tossed his mane im- 
patiently. 

“ ‘The sun sank and yet the colonel 
appeared not. The old and well-trained 
servant wondered, for his master 1 was 
never late or behind in his appoint- 
ments. 

“ ‘Meantime, the host smiled at the 
scene of the old veteran on duty at the 
gate while the young colonel was com- 
pletely entangled with the graces of the 
fair widow in the parlor of the man- 
sion. 

“ ‘After sunset, Chamberlayne de- 
clared that no guest ever left his hos- 
pitality at dark, so Washington was 


46 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

easily persuaded to remain over night. 
Bishop was told to put up the horses 
for the night and partake of much- 
needed refreshment in the servants’ 
hall. 

“ ‘That night, the conversation, the 
manners, the appearance and the rep- 
utation of the colonel, impressed the 
fair widow Custis as no ordinary 
mortal had done before. 

“ ‘As the enamored soldier sought 
again and again the side of the lady 
who had taken his heart by storm, He 
felt that fate had at last been kind to 
him, could he win with what he had to 
offer. 

“ ‘The sun rode high in the heavens 
the following day ere Washington 
mounted for the continuance of the 
journey. And arrived at Williams- 
burg to deliver the messages, he tar- 
ried but a brief time. Retracing his 
steps with haste, the ardent colonel 
again stopped at the home of Chamber- 
layne. 

“ ‘Becoming a frequent visitor at the 
home of the late Colonel Custis, he laid 


Martha Custis' Story 47 

siege to the heart and hand of the 
widow, till she capitulated. 

“ ‘Then there were eager and happy 
preparations at the White House, the 
home of Mrs. Custis, for the approach- 
ing bridal. Rare indeed was the revelry 
at that wedding feast in the palmy days 
of Virginia’s festal age. 

“ ‘The good, the great, the gifted and 
the gay were assembled at that nuptial 
ceremony, but of all the grand gentle- 
men gathered there, not one could 
aspire to the manners and appearance 
of the groom himself. 

“ ‘The bride, well-formed, somewhat 
below the medium size of a woman, 
was in the bloom of life, handsome, 
winsome and aristocratic in every way. 
She had perfect taste in matters regard- 
ing the toilette, and was always suitably 
gowned. 

‘“It is recorded that the ceremony 
took place at the old St. Peter’s Church 
near the White House. Imagination 
will better picture this scene of pomp 
and splendor of the times. The reader 


48 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

can then behold the fairest of Virginia’s 
daughters arrayed in superb brocades, 
costly laces, and sparkling jewels sup- 
plied by the Old World; and gallant 
cavaliers in the elaborate and elegant 
costumes of the time, attending the 
ladies through the brilliant apartments 
to the bountiful board in the dining- 
hall, where glittering with massive 
plate, loaded with rich viands, old 
wines, and delicate conserves, the 
friendly words, merry laughs and witty 
repartee but enhanced the loveliness 
of the happy bride, and the triumphant 
rapture of the love-crowned hero- 
soldier. 

“ ‘Soon after the marriage, Colonel 
and Mrs. Washington removed from 
the White House to Mount Vernon 
which was henceforth to be the per- 
manent family residence. 

“ ‘The life of Martha Washington 
thereafter became a part of the history 
of her country. She entered into the 
plans and confidences of her husband, 
and in every way proved the helpmeet 
for such a noble and great man. 


Martha Custis' Story 49 

“ ‘Mrs. Washington was an early 
riser at all seasons of the year, and after 
breakfast always repaired for an hour 
to her chamber where she read from 
the Bible and prayed, and this practice 
was never omitted during the half cen- 
tury of her varied life. 

“ ‘In the papers and correspondence 
left by Colonel Washington it appears 
that his efforts too, were to augment 
the comforts and happiness of his home, 
and everything that could be done for 
the fair and gentle lady of his heart 
was accomplished. 

“ ‘It must be remembered that at this 
period of time, everything in the way of 
luxury, and even many articles of 
household necessity, were imported 
from Europe, and were possible only 
to the wealthy. Even the clothing and 
many kinds of food were ordered twice 
a year by Washington from his Eng- 
lish agents. 

“ ‘The affairs of John and Patsy 
Custis, his stepchildren, were ordered 
with the utmost care and precision, and 
reports made and forwarded regularly 


SO SSittle Washingtons’ Relatives 

to the English firm of Robert Cary 
& Co. 

“ ‘After her removal to Mt. Vernon, 
Mrs. Washington often accompanied 
her husband on his official visits to 
Williamsburg, but her greatest joy was 
the time passed at home with the con- 
genial work and pleasures of a wife 
and mother. 

“ ‘At this time, the pursuits of Colo- 
nel Washington were those of a retired 
farmer, yet the social intercourse with 
people of refinement and position was 
continued, and a large circle of agree- 
able and intelligent friends could gen- 
erally be found enjoying the hospital- 
ity of this generous and delightful 
couple. 

“ ‘But the melancholy event of the 
passing away of the gifted and favored 
young daughter from the home of the 
Washingtons suddenly bereft the family 
of joy and gladness. The brother, who 
had walked hand in hand with his be- 
loved sister in all the years of child- 
hood, was grief-stricken beyond words. 
The mother, who had tenderly watched 


Martha Custis' Story 


51 


and planned over the child of many 
hopes, found her sole help in prayer 
and reading of her Bible. And the 
stepfather, as fond of the children as 
their own father could have been, 
found solace in work and study/ ” 

As Mrs. Parke reached this serious 
part of the history, George sighed 
loudly. His mother glanced up from 
the book and he took it for granted 
that he might speak. 

“Don’t you think the girls have had 
their share for this time? — It’s been all 
love-making and marrying and funer- 
als! Not a word about Indians or 
about war.” 

“I was just coming to a part of 
Washington’s life, where it describes 
his fifteen years of life on his farm, and 
his membership on the Virginia House 
of Burgesses,” ventured Mrs. Parke. 

“Oh, good gracious! Please don’t 
give us any more of his quiet life to- 
day. Look at the way that rain spatters 
on the windows, and then stop to think 
how we feel with Washington parading 
out of a book while he’s planting or 


•52 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

hoeing his farm! Give us a fight!” 
declared George. 

Every one laughed and Jack second- 
ed his cousin’s plan for a more active 
story than the one that had just been 
read. 

“If you insist upon having war when 
there was no war, I must skip the fifteen 
years of quiet life on his estate, to get 
Washington in the midst of fresh bat- 
tle scenes,” argued Mrs. Parke. 

“Why not read us about the Boston 
Tea Party?” said Anne. 

“That will satisfy the boys and in- 
terest us girls, too,” added Martha. 

Without further remonstrance, Mrs. 
Parke turned back to the chapter de- 
sired and began reading. 

“ ‘During the years between 1765 
and 1775, the cry of “Liberty, Property, 
No Stamps!” sounded from New 
Hampshire to Georgia. Even when 
the act — all except the tax on tea — was 
repealed, the populace concentrated its 
wrath on tea as the symbol of an in- 
tolerable sovereignty which would no 
longer be endured. 


Martha Custis’ Story S3 

“ ‘It was but a little more than two 
years from the time of the first whiff 
of the delightful beverage, to the time 
when millions of teakettles steamed 
merrily on millions of hearths, and the 
consumption of tea reached more than 
5,000,000 pounds a year. Tea houses 
had sprung up like mushrooms all over 
the United Kingdom of Great Britain, 
and of the 5,000,000 pounds imported 
from China, at least 1,500,000 pounds 
were sent to the American colonies. 

“ ‘Tea, in short, formed a harmless 
luxury indulged in by the thousands 
who, despite the high price and tax, 
contrived to have it for a delectable 
drink of an evening when company 
had to be entertained. Or again it was 
enjoyed by many as a beverage not 
willingly sacrificed. 

“ ‘But the harmless drink now started 
the just and patriotic people to revolt 
against the tyranny of the Crown. For 
the next three years after England im- 
posed the high tax on tea, it became 
the symbol with which men conjured. 
As for trying to ship tea from England 


54 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

at this time, one would as soon have 
introduced the Black Plague. 

“ ‘So the contention went on — Eng- 
land remaining proud and defiant in 
her attitude that British sovereignty, 
must never yield, and the young Amer- 
ican colony holding that a great prin- 
ciple underlay the act — that freemen 
should only be taxed by a repre- 
sentative. And during this time seven- 
teen million pounds of tea had heaped 
•itself in the store-houses of the East 
India Company. 

“ ‘The northeastern colonies were 
strenuous examples of precocious 
political development ; Massachusetts 
embraced the vast territory of Maine, 
and from this northern boundary to the 
shore where the Pilgrim Fathers landed, 
were dotted the decent little villages, 
and these buzzed and hummed with 
zealous activities of the people. 

“ ‘It had required a hundred and 
fifty years from the first step of Plym- 
outh Rock to the beginning of the 
Revolution. Boston, now a town of 
18,000 folk, sent forth a tongue of flame 


Martha Custis' Story 55 

that bespoke defiance to the mother 
country across the sea. The highest 
sense of public duty grew in these 
people as weeds flourish in others. 
What a time that must have been: 
Heroes springing up over-night to live 
forever in the history of the nation. 
English spies, traitorous Indians, tea 
parties and tea-ships riding the waves 
of Boston Bay, not dreaming it was 
the open mouth of the dragon. 

“ ‘When the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, 
and the Beaver, therefore, laden with 
342 chests of tea, sailed into Boston 
harbor, the hitherto loosely-membered 
colonies became welded together, for 
they were determined to stand together 
for their principle — Taxation with 
Representation. Thus the tea that lay 
scattered one night on the bosom of 
the sea off Boston, was much the same 
tea that rotted in the cellars of Charles- 
town and the South, or mouldered in 
Philadelphia and New York stores. 

“ ‘Tea stood for Toryism, and no tea 
meant Independence. All over the 
land activities started up such as were 


56 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

never before heard of. Looms and 
spindles whirred as fabrics were woven 
of home-grown flax and wool, and 
material hitherto imported from Eng- 
land now began to be made by the 
colonists at home. Even weapons and 
ammunition began to be spoken of, antj 
old recipes for manufacturing gun- 
powder were brought out and experi- 
mented with. 

“ ‘Then the “glove” was dropped and 
the struggle began.’ ” 


CHAPTER IV 


WASHINGTON THE GENERAL 

66 7 THINK the rain will soon stop 
X — the sun seems to be breaking 
through. While we wait for it 
to clear shall I read about the first bat- 
tle of the Revolution for the boys?” 
said Mrs. Parke. 

“Now that you’ve got us as far as 
the Boston Tea Party, keep right on and 
finish it up, even if the sun does 
shine,” remarked Jack. 

“Don’t go through all those meetings 
and letters that everybody exchanged 
with Washington, but skip over to the 
fight!” requested George, curling up 
on the couch, ready and waiting to 
enjoy the war. 

“Then I’ll read to you about Lexing- 
ton and Concord,” replied Mrs. Parke, 

57 


58 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

turning the pages of the book till she 
found the one that recorded the Revo- 
lution. 

“ ‘Great Britain took arbitrary meas- 
ures with the American colonists, and 
when Boston stood upon the rights of 
an independent colony, she was imme- 
diately punished by having the govern- 
ment removed to Salem, and the harbor 
closed. There were other unfair meas- 
ures made and acted upon, so that 
finally the colonists decided to hold a 
general assembly at Philadelphia, to 
consider ways and means of protecting 
themselves and property. 

“ ‘When the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence on July 4th, 1776, was issued, 
the colonists were prepared for it, and 
hailed it as the first step in their up- 
ward march. About the same time the 
Earl of Chatham did everything in his 
power to make the English Parliament 
understand certain things to which they 
stubbornly closed their eyes and 
minds; but all intervention and meas- 
ures for conciliation were of no avail. 

“ ‘In this gathering storm no one felt 


Washington the General 59 

the solemnity of the crisis more than 
did George Washington. He had been 
a loyal subject of Great Britain, but 
his sense of justice and right was too 
true to be blinded by sentiment. Thus 
he came out firmly for his own coun- 
try — America. 

“ ‘In his many letters and messages 
sent to every influential personage in 
England or the colonies, it will be seen 
that he moved heaven and earth to ob- 
tain honorable rights to the colonists 
without resorting to force. But the in- 
dividuals holding the reins of govern- 
ment refused to recognize or think of 
any other result from this outbreak than 
suppression by might and power of the 
human will. 

“ ‘Thus it came about that every sep- 
arate colony in the country came to- 
gether and formed an unbreakable link 
of fellowship that would stand against 
every force to dissolve or break it. 

“ ‘Five of the most distinguished pa- 
triots from Massachusetts and represen- 
tatives from other colonies met in the 
month of September to outline rules 


60 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

and acts. General Gage was sent to dis- 
solve this assembly, but the colonists 
kept the doors locked until the meeting 
was closed. 

“ ‘General Gage had followed in- 
structions and avoided any act which 
would lead to hostilities between his 
men and the colonists, but feeling the 
lack of provisions and other necessities, 
he sent out secret detachments to cap- 
ture what was needed; but the people 
resented these raids, and offered every 
resistance to the pilferers. 

“ ‘Having learned that a considerable 
magazine of stores had been formed 
at Concord, the governor attempted to 
seize them. On the night of April 18, 
17 75 , he sent 800 picked men under 
Smith, to secretly confiscate these sup- 
plies. 

“ ‘But in some way the colonists had 
been warned of the proposed raid, and 
as the British troops marched along the 
road which they expected to find almost 
deserted at that time of night, they were 
surprised to meet horsemen, and men 
on foot, hurrying along also. As no one 


Washington the General 61 

offered opposition to the soldiers, they 
never dreamed of trouble. 

“ ‘So arriving at Lexington about five 
o’clock, the troops were surprised to 
find about a hundred militiamen drawn 
up on the green before the meeting- 
house. 

“ ‘Major Pitcairn galloped up and or- 
dered them to disperse, but they refused, 
so he ordered his men to fire, discharg- 
ing his own pistol as the signal. Three 
or four men were killed and the others 
retreated behind the church. 

“ ‘After this skirmish, the opening 
tragedy of the war, the British marched 
on to Concord where they soon took 
possession. Detached parties were 
placed to guard various approaches to 
the town, while the main body of sol- 
diers proceeded to destroy the arms, 
ammunition and provisions found in 
store. 

“ ‘But a body of militiamen, having 
approached the bridge, which was 
guarded by a detachment of soldiers, 
surrounded and fired upon them. A 
general skirmish took place, and the 


62 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

British retreated with confusion to their 
main body in the town. 

“ ‘Smith ordered. a retreat, but the 
militia, constantly increasing in num- 
bers, opened a galling fire upon the 
British, at the same time being pro- 
tected by houses, stone walls and trees. 

“ ‘When the British arrived at Lex- 
ington, in an exhausted state, they 
would have been totally destroyed had 
not Gage, apprehensive for the expedi- 
tion, sent out Lord Percy with sixteen 
companies on foot, a corps of marines, 
and two pieces of artillery to support 
Smith. 

“ ‘This aid checked the first pursuit 
of the provincials, but the latter kept 
up an incessant fire upon the British 
as they marched on their way to Bos- 
ton. 

“ ‘The news of this event excited 
every one in Massachusetts, and soon 
the whole country was in warlike array. 
The. first blood had been shed by the 
British without provocation, and the 
proud army of England had been met 
by provincial men and made to retreat. 


Washington the General 63 

“ ‘The Provincial Congress of Mas- 
sachusetts was in session at the time of 
this battle at Lexington, and it imme- 
diately passed a vote to raise 13,600 
men. It also called upon the other col- 
onies to increase the army to 30,000; 
but this request was unnecessary, as the 
colonists crowded to the standard raised 
in their defence — more than could be 
maintained. 

“‘The fortifications of Boston were 
considered strong enough to resist an 
attack, and the garrison of the British 
was increased by the 10,000 men who 
arrived about the same time as Lord 
North’s conciliatory message. 

“ ‘But the provincials formed a line 
of thirty miles in extent on the penin- 
sula where the city stood, thus cutting 
off all communication with the coun- 
try. Surrounding them was the ocean 
where the British vessels of war rode at 
anchor to protect the troops and, if need 
be, to reduce the town to ashes in an 
hour’s time. 

“ ‘The British in the besieged city 
laughed at the foolish attempts to bring 


64 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

them to submission, for had they not 
everything needed — war munitions, 
food stores and everything required for 
use? 

“ ‘On the other side there seemed to 
be nothing more than a tremendous zeal 
and willingness to sacrifice all for prin- 
ciple. Untrained men in the ranks, no 
arms, no resources for war, no ships or 
field-pieces — in fact, nothing such as 
the British thought absolutely necessary 
to win in a fray. Nothing but Prin- 
ciple! 

“ ‘But the colonists realized what 
they were standing for, and every man 
accepted the work for ultimate salva- 
tion from the yoke. Each stood in his 
place obedient to his superior, and each 
chief confined his action to his own 
sphere, while all felt the bond of broth- 
erhood in the furtherance of a grand 
plan for all. 

“ ‘Meantime, while the British were 
penned up in Boston, Arnold and Allen 
planned a brilliant scheme. With a 
small body of men they proceeded 
against the forts of Crown Point and 


Washington the General 65 

Ticonderoga, the key to Canada. They 
completely surprised and captured these 
places without the loss of a man, thus 
securing valuable and much-needed 
supplies of military stores. 

“ ‘Then Arnold was successful 
against a sloop of war lying at St. 
John’s, and obtained the command of 
Lake Champlain. This vessel was the 
very first one to belong to the American 
navy. 

“ ‘In Virginia, much the same spirit 
animated the people. As soon as war 
was apprehended, they solicited Wash- 
ington to take command of their troops, 
and he readily consented to this. 

“ ‘The hasty step of Governor Dun- 
more, causing the powder to be secretly 
removed from the magazine at Wil- 
liamsburg to one of his majesty’s ships 
in the river, caused the whole colony 
to fly to arms. They resolved to march 
to the Governor and compel him to re- 
store it. 

Dunmore hastily agreed to ar- 
range the matter as requested, so the 
men returned home, but all held them- 


66 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

selves in readiness to march at any fu- 
ture alarm. 

“ ‘The Second Continental Congress, 
represented by twelve of the colonies, 
met at Philadelphia on the ioth of May, 
1775, and at this convention Georgia 
sent delegates and was admitted as the 
thirteenth member. 

“ ‘The account of hostilities at Con- 
cord and Lexington, and the capture of 
Crown Point and Ticonderoga was laid 
before the Congress. The majority of 
members, seeing no other way to pre- 
serve liberty, urged the necessity of de- 
fensive operations. 

“ ‘John Hancock, from Massachu- 
setts, was president of the Congress, 
and the master stroke of the convention 
was the election of Washington as com- 
mander-in-chief of the United States 
forces. 

“ ‘The fires of rebellion were now 
burning steadily in every town and 
hamlet where patriotic freemen collect- 
ed, and the launching of the first and 
greatest nation of Liberty on the earth 
was accomplished. 


Washington the General 67 

“ ‘June 18, 1775, Washington, now 
known as General Washington, wrote 
to his wife to acquaint her with all that 
had taken place at the Congress. He 
explained his duty in accepting the po- 
sition of general of the American 
army, and he also mentioned family 
and personal affairs which needed ad- 
vice. 

“ ‘On the 26th of June, Washington 
proceeded from New. York to Cam- 
bridge, where he arrived on the 2nd 
of July. He was welcomed with joyful 
acclamations by the men, who felt the 
greatest hope and success of their mis- 
sion safely placed with this general. 

“ ‘Washington found the army sta- 
tioned about Boston to consist of 16,000 
men, deeply distressed for lack of war 
munitions, and many of them insubor- 
dinate to officers through lack of mili- 
tary training. Thus it behooved the 
general to remedy the latter trouble and 
seek a means of providing for the for- 
mer. 

“ ‘Reinforcements from England had 
arrived for General Gage, and about 


68 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

the time that the Continental army was 
told that the possession of Bunker Hill, 
a commanding eminence on the north 
side of Charlestown peninsula, and 
nearly opposite the British camp, was 
of great importance, the British also 
realized that the colonists meant busi- 
ness. 

“ ‘On the night of June 16th a detach- 
ment of a thousand men was ordered 
to take possession of the hill, and throw 
up with the greatest expedition, fortifi- 
cations to defend the position; but by 
some mistake the men took their station 
on Breed’s Hill, another eminence to 
the right and nearer the enemy’s lines. 

“ ‘So silently and rapidly did they 
work that at dawn the British were 
alarmed to see a redoubt constructed 
on the brow of the hill, nearly under 
the guns of their vessels. 

“ ‘Orders were given to open fire 
from ships and batteries upon the men 
and works, but this cannonading only 
served to stimulate the soldiers’ activi- 
ties and zeal; nor did they cease work 
until a line of breastwork was com- 


Washington the General 69 

pleted from the right of the redoubt to 
the bottom of the hill. 

“ ‘General Gage, finding all efforts 
to dislodge the' men from this vantage 
point unavailing, ordered two squad- 
rons under Howe and Pigot, to drive 
out the Continentals. While the Brit- 
ish forces landed and formed on shore, 
the Americans continued work on the 
fortifications. The British proceeded 
up the hill, while constant fire was 
poured in upon the colonists and the 
newly-built works. Orders were given 
to burn Charlestown lest the provin- 
cials find refuge there when they should 
be driven from the hill-works. As the 
town was built of wood, it soon blazed 
high and covered the surrounding land 
with its smoke and fire. 

“ ‘The terrible spectacle was wit- 
nessed by unengaged soldiers, men at 
camp, and the now homeless people of 
the burning town; but the attention of 
all was soon engaged in watching the 
advance of the British army up the 
slope to the place where the Americans 
calmly awaited the disciplined men. 


70 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“ ‘Major Putnam charged his men to 
withhold fire until they could see “the 
white of their assailants’ eyes,” and then 
fire low. So well was this order obeyed 
that the first volley from the men in the 
redoubt was so deadly that the advanc- 
ing troops reeled, wavered and suddenly 
turned to flee. But the courage of the 
officers rallied the men, and they again 
charged up the hill to have the same un- 
erring fire poured into their midst. 
Then their lines broke and they fled 
precipitately. 

“ ‘General Clinton, seeing this defeat 
from his camp, volunteered to lead a 
fresh company to the aid of the retreat- 
ing men. The third attack was more 
cautious than the first two had been, 
and artillery had raked the entire 
length of the breastworks before the 
troops reached it. Also, the ammuni- 
tion of the defenders was nearly ex- 
hausted, so that they had to reserve 
their last fire until the enemy was right 
at the works. 

“ ‘This fire was telling, but had not 
the same effect as at first, and the re- 


Washington the General 71 

doubt was carried by storm, the Ameri- 
cans dealing death at every step of re- 
treat, and when the powder was gone 
they used the butt end of their guns to 
such effect that the redoubt was filled 
with slain enemy. 

“ ‘Although the victory was with the 
British, they were so dismayed at the 
result of the battle that they offered no 
resistance to the retreat of the Ameri- 
cans, and the latter soon joined their 
friends. 

“ ‘The British hastily threw up de- 
fences on Bunker Hill, and the Ameri- 
cans took a position directly opposite 
them on Prospect Hill, where they built 
fortifications that nevermore were ap- 
proached by the enemy. 

“ ‘This battle was one of the most de- 
structive and bloody recorded in the 
wars of the Revolution. 

“ ‘News of the fight at Bunker Hill 
reached Washington as he journeyed on 
horseback to Cambridge to take com- 
mand of the army. The slaughter of 
nearly 1,500 men — 450 Americans and 
1,054 British was omen to the whole 


72 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

world that the fight was on to a finish 
for Liberty and Democracy. 

“ ‘When Washington reached Cam- 
bridge, Boston was already in a state 
of siege, so that the new commander 
had his hands full. From his first head- 
quarters in the house of the president 
of Harvard College, he moved them to 
Craigie House, later known as the 
Cambridge residence of Longfellow.’ ” 

“Oh, look! The sun’s out!” shouted 
George at this point. 

“Sure enough! Come on and play! 
We can read history another rainy 
day,” abetted Jack, jumping up from 
the rug. 

“Mother, thank you for the story, 
but we’re off now for some fun,” de- 
clared Martha, helping Anne to her 
feet. 


CHAPTER V 


THE BOSTON TEA PARTY 

ifTTff THAT shall we play?” asked 
V V Jack the moment the four 
were out on the veranda. 

“Play — why, war of course!” re- 
sponded George, placing his fingers 
between his lips and giving a shrill 
whistle. 

“What’s that for?” wondered Anne. 

“That’s the signal for Jim that we are 
going to have an engagement with the 
[British !” replied George, watching 
eagerly the side of the house where the 
kitchens were located. 

“Hist!” sounded from a thick arbor 
of clematis that shaded the kitchen 
porch. 


73 


74 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“There he is! Come on now,” or- 
dered George, starting for the lilac 
bushes across the lawn. 

“Children ! Come and get your over- 
shoes! Everything is soaking wet!” 
cried Mrs. Davis from the library win- 
dow when she saw them race through 
the wet grass. 

“Oh, dear me! Martha, you go and 
bring them to us, will you?” asked 
George impatiently. 

“I’m not Mrs. Washington yet, and 
she didn’t run errands for George be- 
fore she was married to him,” objected 
Martha. 

“Send Jim for them!” whispered 
Jack, as he saw the little fellow run- 
ning with might and main to join his 
adored commander-in-chief. 

“What will you p'lay with if the 
weapons and uniforms are in the attic?” 
asked Anne. 

At this they all stopped short, as no 
one had thought of the army equipment 
till then. 

“Guess Jack and I had better go 
for the overshoes and then we can bring 


The Boston Tea Party 75 

along some things for the Continental 
army,” ventured George. 

“And send Jim on to John’s house 
to call him out,” added Martha. 

“Yes, that’s a good plan. You, Jim, 
see here!” explained George. “Climb 
over the hedge and look for John. If 
you don’t see him, whistle, and when 
he comes out, tell him we are going to 
the creek to have the Boston Tea Party 
—see?” 

“Yeh, Ah see all right!” eagerly re- 
plied Jim, nodding his woolly head en- 
ergetically as he started off for the hedge 
that separated the Grahams’ from the 
Parkes’ estate. 

The two girls were told to go to the 
barn and find some tools— axe, nails, 
hammers, or hatchets, and a saw, if pos- 
sible. 

“What for?” asked Anne. 

“Don’t we have to have warships out 
in Boston harbor if we want a tea 
party like that real one was?” scorned 
George, as he caught hold of Jack’s 
hand and ran for the house. 

The lilac bushes were abandoned for 


76 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

a time, while the girls sought for and 
captured various tools in the barn when 
the gardener was absent. The two boys 
tied up whatever uniforms they could 
conveniently carry, and Jim hid them 
near the Grahams’ house and gave the 
familiar cat-call for John. 

These important errands completed, 
they all went to the creek that crossed 
the private road leading to the Parke 
estate. 

Again assembled for play, they exam- 
ined the items on hand and John said: 
‘‘You can’t have ships without mate- 
rial.” 

“I thought maybe we could rope to- 
gether some of these logs the men 
chopped down last spring; but they 
look kind of heavy to handle,” replied 
George calculatively. 

“Humph ! They’d take a tackle and 
derrick to move. What we need is just 
boards and some crosspieces to tie to- 
gether like a raft. I’ve made ’em in 
camp,” said Jack. 

“Then you can help us make one 
now,” said Martha eagerly. 


The Boston Tea Party 77 

“We’ll have to find some boards and 
small logs then,” replied Jack, looking 
about in the timber heap for suitable 
lengths for crossbeams. 

“We’ve got some boards about six 
feet long in the lumber house near here 
that I heard father say he wouldn’t use 
till next summer. Then he’s going to 
lay a new boardwalk from the garage 
to the barn,” suggested John. 

“Just what we need. Come and show 
me where they are, and we four boys 
will bring them here while the girls 
roll those small lengths of timber down 
to the water-edge,” said Jack. 

Soon all hands were working eagerly, 
nailing boards to some crosspieces, and 
then roping loose ends securely to the 
logs so they would not slip off when 
launched in the creek. The water of 
the stream was nearly a foot deeper 
than usual, owing to the heavy rains of 
the night and morning, so the raft 
would float easily if it was well built. 

The battleship was ready to sail when 
the luncheon bell sounded over the 
lawns to call the British and Continen- 


78 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

tal armies to mess. The children looked 
at each other in disgust, for now it 
seemed a wholesale waste of time to go 
home and eat! 

“What have you got for tea?” asked 
Martha at this moment. 

“We’ll have to make-believe tea,” said 
John. 

“That won’t be as much fun as if you 
had some chests and boxes stacked on 
the boat. Maybe Jim can find some 
empty boxes in the store-room for us to 
fill with sand,” ventured Anne. 

“I’se got some broomsticks hided 
away in a alley under de pantry. Dey 
kin be for guns,” remarked Jim, who 
hoped his news would divert the 
thoughts of his friends from the raid 
on store-room boxes. Jim felt that 
would be a dangerous attempt. 

“Fine! Bring them out and leave 
them under the lilacs while you go back 
for the empty boxes. We’ll eat lunch 
and meet you where you leave the 
guns,” said George conclusively. 

“Cain’t some uv yo’ all hep me in de 
store-room?” asked Jim plaintively. 


The Boston Tea Party 79 

“What for? You can creep in and 
empty some boxes out better than if a 
lot of us went with you,” countered 
Martha. 

“But onny one uv yo’ all will hep a 
lot! Not all uv yo’. One uv us kin han’ 
down dose boxes an’ anudder kin shift 
it outen de store-room winder. Den 
Garge kin stan’ unner dat winder an’ 
run wid ’em t’ de lilacs,” explained Jim, 
who really was very cunning in self- 
defence. 

“Good stunt! Martha, you go with 
Jim right after lunch and Jack and I 
will carry away the goods,” said 
George, waving a hand at John, who 
started in the opposite direction for 
home and luncheon. 

“I’ll try to bring some things, too,” 
said John. 

At the table that noon, the ladies sug- 
gested that they all take a nice drive 
about the country in the automobile. 
The amazed children looked at each 
other and then at their elders. 

“Goodness me ! We don’t care about 
scenery, mother!” objected George. 


gO Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“Of course not! We want to play 
nice outdoor games,” added Martha. 

“What have you been doing since 
we stopped reading?” asked Mrs. 
Davis. 

“I didn’t hear a sound from you, so 
I thought you were pining for some- 
thing to do; that is why I proposed the 
drive,” said Mrs. Parke. 

“Oh, no, we never pine. First we 
found Jim, and then we went to John’s 
side of the hedge to get him. After 
talking over the best thing to play, we 
decided to build something Jack knows 
all about ’cause he has camped, and we 
are going to carpenter just as he tells 
qs this afternoon, so you see we haven’t 
time to admire the scenery,” explained 
George. 

“That is very nice, and constructive 
play is always to be encouraged, Kate,” 
remarked Mrs. Davis to Mrs. Parke 

“But there is generally something 
doubtful under all of the quiet and con- 
structive plays George favors so read- 
ily,” doubted Mrs. Parke. 

“Mother, if you don’t believe we are 


The Boston Tea Party 81 

going to build something great and 
worth while, ask Jim. He never tells 
fibs!” said George, with such a disap- 
pointed expression in his eyes that said 
‘My own mother hesitates to trust me,’ 
that both ladies hastened to assure him 
that they fully trusted him. 

So the mothers were sent off on the 
drive, and the two armies continued 
their plans for a grand fight. 

The moment luncheon was over 
Martha crept to the back door and 
thence to the store-room that was built 
out from the butler’s pantry. The ser- 
vants were all downstairs eating lunch 
and talking, so the time was most op- 
portune for a raid. Jim was already 
there trying to pry up lids of cereal 
cartons and other boxes. 

“Heah’s some mos’ empty,” said he, 
the moment Martha appeared in the 
store-room. 

“They’re all right! Even if there is 
a little oatmeal and rice in some of ’em 
— so much the better, cause we must 
try to fish ’em out of the water when 
the Yanks throw the cargo in,” said 


82 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

Martha, carrying the three boxes to the 
window, and dropping them out on the 
grass where George stood waiting. 

Besides the three boxes used for ce- 
real, Jim found a real tea-caddy, but it 
was more than half full, so Martha 
emptied the contents on a newspaper 
spread on the floor behind the door. 

Also they found a soap box and the 
contents was emptied on top of the tea 
for want of a better place. A cardboard 
drum that had held dried fruit or other 
viands, stood on the shelf with some 
stuff in it — lumpy and pulverized to- 
gether. 

“What is this?” asked Martha, taking 
up a lump. 

“Ah donno, but maybe yo’ kin tell ef 
yo’ tas’ it,” suggested Jim. 

So Martha carefully touched the 
lump to her tongue, but the moment it 
came in contact with the pink tip, the 
washing-soda burned and smarted hor- 
ribly. 

Martha dropped it and held her 
mouth frantically, while Jim implored 
her not to make a noise or they would 


The Boston Tea Party 


83 


be “ketched.” But the venture was 
enough for Martha, who hurried out of 
the room to seek a drink of cooling 
water. 

Jim, thinking it a shame to leave a 
nice drum there after such a painful 
experience, emptied the soda upon the 
soap and orange pekoe tea and dropped 
the drum from the window. He then 
climbed up and dropped himself out 
upon the grass, where George waited. 

“Where’s Martha?” queried Jack. 

“Makin’ soap-suds, Ah reckon,” 
giggled Jim. 

“Making what?” demanded George, 
surprised. 

“Wall, she’s went fer a drink an’ ef 
dat sody sticks to her tongue she’ll have 
suds all inside her mouf, won’t she?” 
said Jim. 

Martha’s appearance quieted any 
fears for her safety, however, and soon 
after all were running to the creek with 
their burdens of boxes and broomstick 
guns. 

The raft was heavy and hard to move, 
but finally all hands heaved and tugged 


84 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

and moved it inch by inch nearer the 
water. The bank of the stream was 
about three feet above the surface of 
the water, so when the raft was half 
over the bank they expected to see it 
plunge headlong in with a splash, but it 
stuck on the jagged trunk of a tree, and 
the children tried in vain to dislodge it. 

Then Jack had an inspiration. 

“We’ll use the broomsticks and pry 
her off!” 

“Fine idea! Here, John, you stand 
there and pry under her with this stick. 
Jim can stand there just opposite you, 
while Jack and I, being strongest, 
will pry and shove from the back to 
shove her over,” said George. 

Obediently, John took his place and 
Jim stood on a flat stone opposite, but 
on the lower side of the raft. When the 
signal was given by Martha, all four 
shoved and worked together and the 
raft moved an inch more nearer the 
water. 

“Fine! Now, boys, once more!” 
shouted Jack. 

Again the signal sounded, and all 


The Boston Tea Party 85 

four pried and pushed. Suddenly the 
weight of the raft carried it forward 
with great momentum, dislodging the 
stone upon which Jim stood and pushed 
with his broomstick. He lost his bal- 
ance and fell upon the raft just as it 
submerged in the creek. 

Jim went with it, and as the mud that 
was stirred up from the bottom of the 
sluggish stream when the heavy corner 
of the raft dug down through the water 
immediately clung to him, Jim was an 
object for pity when he sputtered up 
from the water. 

“Dear me! The first man over- 
board and neither side ready for the 
act !” sighed Anne seriously. 

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, Jim, 
to go and spoil the battle like that?” 
demanded Martha, justly angry. 

“Huccome Ah feel ’shamed? Diden’ 
dat ole warship give me. struggle 
enough widdout yo’ all blamin’ me fer 
a wettin’?” cried Jim defensively, try- 
ing to rub the mud from his eyes. 

“Well, now that you’re wet, you’d 
better be the captain on the ship. Get 


86 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

the raft back here to shore so we can 
load her up with tea,” ordered Jack. 

“Whose going to be British and who 
the Yanks?” asked John. 

“I’m always George Washington in 
these fights,” hinted George. 

“Then you’re out of this battle, ’cause 
Washington hadn’t a thing to do with 
the tea party,” returned Martha. 

“You ought to be a Lord Somebody 
who sailed with the captain on the 
Dartmouth when that tea was brought 
over from England,” said Jack. 

“Guess I will. Jim can tow the raft 
over to the bank, and those of you who 
are colonists must hurry across the 
bridge to the other side. We British 
will stay here and pile up the cargo of 
tea and sail the raft across the creek. 

“When we sail into Boston harbor 
you must try to keep us out, and that is 
the way the fight will begin. Which- 
ever side wins can take the raft and 
cargo and sail it wherever they like,” 
explained George. 

It had not been Jack’s plan to have 
George take the first ride on the raft, 


The Boston Tea Party 87 

nor, indeed, command the warship, but 
having said it he could not very well 
change the order, so the next best plan 
was to sail with Lord Somebody, with 
Jim the captain. 

The captain, so proud of his title and 
position, forgot about his muddy ap- 
pearance, and eagerly hauled the cum- 
bersome raft to the bank. 

“S’posin’ you girls and John be the 
colonists on the other bank. You must 
use the guns and anything you can to 
keep us from landing the tea,” said 
Jack. 

As neither Anne nor Martha wished 
to risk their dry clothes on the tipsy- 
looking raft, this suggestion met with 
their fullest approval; but John grew 
sulky, as he wanted to try the raft. 

“It’s made of my father’s boards, 
too!” grumbled John. 

“What’s that?” shouted Jack, now en- 
gaged in loading the ship with chests. 

“Nothing much! I don’t see any 
fun in this fight, that’s all,” complained 
John. 

“Oh, but there will be ! Just wait till 


88 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

we get in that row in Boston harbor! 
Hurry across and be ready for us,” 
cried George, who half-suspected John 
of jealousy, and, at the same time, felt 
he was guilty of selfishness himself. 

The tea was stacked in its boxes on 
the ship Dartmouth, and the three, 
Captain Jim and the English baronets, 
as passengers, set sail for Boston harbor. 

On the American side, Martha had 
found an old apple tree near the bridge, 
the fruit of which had lain so long on 
the damp ground that the apples were 
rotted within and soft as pulp, the skins 
being the only sound part of the fruit. 

“Wouldn’t they make fine cannon- 
balls?” exulted Martha. 

“Oo-oh, let’s!” cried Anne, and John, 
coming up just then, felt a secret joy in 
planning how he would fire those can- 
non-balls at the men on the ship. 

So, without a hint of the ammunition 
being quickly transferred from the ap- 
ple tree to the site of Boston, the three 
brave and eager colonists awaited the 
coming of the tea cargo. 


CHAPTER VI 


THE BATTLE OF BOSTON 

tST T TE’RE stuck!” declared Jack, 
\\ as they tried to shove off 
from the bank now said to 
be England. 

“And every time ’I push the water 
comes up over my shoes,” said George, 
looking dolefully at 'his soaked shoes 
and stockings. 

“Let’s pull them off and fling them 
over on the bank,” suggested Jack. 

George, forgetting he was not on dry 
ground, instantly followed Jack’s idea 
and sat down on the raft to remove his 
shoes. At the same time, Jim tried to 
climb aboard from the creek where he 
had been pushing, and the result was 
that the water swept over the top sur- 
face of the raft and submerged every- 
thing under six inches of water. 

89 


90 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“Ah, say ! See what you did to me !” 
cried George, now soaking wet to the 
waistline. 

“Quick! Never mind the wet — there 
go our tea chests!” yelled Jack, trying 
to save the drum as it floated away from 
the raft. 

Jim and George, over-anxious to save 
their cargo, suddenly leaned out to 
catch the bobbing cartons and boxes, 
when the unbalanced raft tilted treach- 
erously over with the weight of the 
three boys and shot them all into the 
stream. 

The screams and shouts of dismay 
brought the three Americans running 
to the Boston port, and as they stood 
laughing unfeelingly at the scene in 
the water, the British declared they’d 
get even when they landed in Boston. 

“Better get here first!” called Anne. 

“We’ll salute you with guns all 
right!” added John grimly. 

“So’ll we ! We’ll go back to London 
and find some guns and shot, too,” 
promised George, looking at the Amer- 
icans and then at Jack, who was wal- 


The Battle of Boston 91 

lowing through the mud to gain the 
bank again. 

“Jim, haul up your ship for us to load 
with ammunition,” ordered George, as 
soon as Jim’s head appeared from un- 
der the raft, where he had rolled when 
the warship keeled over. 

But the clever Yanks kept all news 
of their ammunition from the eyes and 
ears of the British. Then, having found 
some long sticks that would answer for 
guns, the three mariners set sail again 
on their dangerous journey across the 
sea — a distance of thirty feet from bank 
to bank. 

This time the raft was kept balanced, 
while the three stood hugging each 
other in the center of the boards. Their 
shoes and coats had been left on the 
woodpile, so they were not hampered 
with overmuch clothing. 

Now, John had bided his time very 
patiently, and, feeling that he had been 
supplanted in the fun and affections of 
George by his cousin Jack, he deter- 
mined not to wait till the ship came into 
port, when the boys could jump from 


92 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

the vessel, to land and find the pyramid 
of bad apples ready to fire. 

So he waited until the loosely-con- 
structed raft reached midstream, where 
the current of the sluggish water turned 
it partially around so that the boys faced 
back at England, and dared not turn 
about for fear of another submersion. 

Taking careful aim, John threw a 
large and wonderfully squashy apple 
at Jack. It landed on top of his head, 
and the juicy, brown contents of the 
apple-skin ran down over his face, ears 
and neck. 

“Ouch ! What’s that?” screamed 
Jack, the acid of the juice blinding his 
eyes. He threw out his hands for help 
as he cried, and thus catching Jim, both 
slid off the raft a second time, as the 
craft went under on that side. 

George could afford to laugh at the 
sight, for he still held his footing on 
the wet and slippery raft; but he 
laughed too soon. John took another 
aim and fired a second shot. It hit the 
boards of the raft just back of George, 
who was not aware of it, as it simply 


The Battle of Boston 93 

squashed all over without making a 
noise. 

He moved back a trifle to gain a 
surer footing, and that action was his 
own undoing. His foot slipped on the 
slippery mush, and down he came upon 
the planks. Again the tipsy raft dove, 
and again George slid off into the 
stream. 

The middle of the stream was swollen 
by the rains to a depth of four feet, and 
Jim only being three feet high, could 
not be seen, but he could paddle a bit 
with legs and arms in poor imitation of 
swimming, so George and Jack found 
him wildly kicking and striking the 
water in a vain endeavor to float. 

John doubled over in glee at his 
marksmanship, and the two girls, run- 
ning to see what the new commotion 
was about, saw the three boys in the 
creek, trying to board the raft. With 
every pull and extra weight on the war- 
ship, it dipped gracefully and slipped 
the children’s eager, clutching hands 
from its edges. 


94 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 


land and sail again,” yelled John com- 
fortingly. 

“You just wait till we get over there !” 
threatened Jack, who suspected the 
power back of that apple. 

“We’ll wait all right! Long time 
cornin’, too!” roared John, slapping his 
knees. 

While Jack pulled Jim to shallow 
water, George managed to haul the now 
water-logged raft back to the English 
shore. The pasteboard cartons and 
drum were thoroughly soaked by this 
time and showed signs of collapse, but 
the soap-box withstood the elements in a 
fine manner. 

During the third trial to cross the 
tempestuous seas, the cartons holding 
oatmeal and hominy spread out and the 
cereals floated down on the face of the 
creek. The pasteboard sides, now flat- 
tened out and soaked, were of no use, 
so they were kicked off; but in the sud- 
den jerking Jack and George clutched 
each other madly, or they would have 
slid into the water for the third time. 

“I guess Boston will never get a 


The Battle of Boston 


95 


speck of that cargo!” laughed John, 
both hands behind his back holding 
large-sized decayed cannon-balls from 
the apple tree. 

“What’ll you bet?” challenged Jack. 

“Bet you three shots to your every 
one that you won’t land it!” taunted 
John. 

“Take you up! If we land anything 
we take three shots at you. If you keep 
us from landing, you have three at us,” 
cried George, the fire of battle shining 
in his eyes. 

“Here, John, you wade out and upset 
them,” whispered Anne mischievously. 

“They won’t count that as fair!” ex- 
claimed Martha. 

“I’ve got a better idea. I’ll get up on 
that tree-trunk leaning out over the 
creek and you girls can hand me some 
heavy clumps of dirt, wood or rocks. 
I’ll drop it over on the raft so it will 
tip and roll off the rest of the cargo,” 
whispered John. 

The three sailors were fully occupied 
in balancing and bringing the raft 
across the stream where it should go. 


96 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

so they failed to see John scale the over- 
hanging willow tree and lean down to 
get the rocks and fragments of tree- 
trunks the girls passed up to him. Not 
until a stone fell upon the side of the 
raft where the remaining boxes stood 
did they dream of danger from a fort. 

“Ah, say, that isn’t fair !” complained 
Jack, not daring to look up or around. 

“All’s fair in play!” laughed Anne 
from the bank. 

A second rock landed on the edge of 
the raft, and then a mass of dirt and 
dead leaves. After this, the girls as- 
sisted in the fusillade, and the boys 
were not only kept busy avoiding the 
ammunition of the Americans ; but they 
found the raft tilting so dangerously 
that another added bit of weight would 
roll the single remaining soap-box from 
the ship. 

“Jack, it’s dare or die!” said George, 
nodding to the debris thrown on the 
raft and the slant of the ship under 
water. 

“What do you say?” wondered Jack. 

“Jim’s the lightest — he must take the 


The Battle of Boston 97 

soap-box and try to reach shore with it 
while we fight them for a landing out 
here. If they go for Jim, we can land, 
and if they keep up with us Jim can 
scramble up the bank.” 

Jim was willing, and Jack thought 
it was a fighting chance, so the captain 
of the Dartmouth sidled off into the 
water and grabbed the box which he 
had to safely carry up on shore — in the 
face of the American cannonading. 

Had the creek been clear of mud and 
roots, the British might have landed 
their sea forces, and thus the history of 
the American colonists might never 
have been written as such; but which 
one of the combating parties could 
dream of the unseen menace that took 
a part in this tragic fight? 

The two girls and John saw Jim slide 
off and push the soap-box in front of 
him, but they felt a sympathy for him, 
for it was apparent that Jack and 
George preferred to remain on the raft 
and let Jim try to land. Then they 
would claim the right to fire three shots 
to one at the Americans. 


98 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

But the three Americans determined 
to fire as many of the soft apples at the 
two remaining sailors as they could 
land, so Jack and George were kept 
busy ducking and objecting, and Jim 
had gone half the distance between the 
raft and the gnarled root, where he 
hoped to climb up, when a blood-curd- 
ling yell was heard, which seemed to 
rise from his very toes. 

British and Yanks alike forgot their 
enmity and shouted out: “What’s hap- 
pened, Jim?” 

But the little pickaninny, beating the 
water frantically with both hands, while 
continuing to howl, tried to jump up 
from the water. 

Jack and George, too wet to mind 
more water, and John, with the two girls 
on shore, rushed for the captain to try 
and save him, for they firmly believed 
he was about to yell his last earthly 
breath. 

Jack and George reached him first, 
and instantly caught his wildly waving 
arms to drag him up on shore. They 
thought that if it was his time to “climb 


The Battle of Boston 99 

the golden stairs” he was always sing- 
ing about, he ought to begin on dry 
land. 

But Jim’s yells grew more appalling 
as he was half-carried and half-dragged 
out of the water, just as John and his 
two confederates ran up, the cause of 
all this frenzy was found. 

A huge mud-turtle had snapped onto 
one of Jim’s brown, upcurling toes, and 
as resistance was brought to bear 
against this grip, the turtle held on the 
tighter. 

George knew what to do, so he 
quickly broke its shell with a sharp 
stone, and Jim almost fainted with re- 
lief at his freedom. The girls tried to 
pet him and offer sympathies, but Jack 
and George took advantage of the sit- 
uation. 

“Ha! We brought meat to shore! 
We landed all right !” yelled Jack, danc- 
ing like a wild Indian. 

“Three-to-one shot,” added George, 
rushing away to find the ammunition 
John had plied so thickly. 

But most of the apples had been fired. 


100 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

and Jim whispered: “Ah wan’ t’ go, 
hum!” 

“Ah, don’t go home now! Your toe 
will soon feel better, and besides, 
mammy will ask you where the boxes 
went from the store-room,” advised 
Martha. 

Jim looked up at her wistfully and 
said: “Ah’ll tell her dem British sunk 
’em all!” 

“That would be mixin’ American his- 
tory, ’cause it was us Yanks that sunk 
the cargo,” corrected Anne. 

“All but the fish!” chuckled Jack, 
pointing at the turtle. 

“If Jim can’t go home, and you girls 
won’t let us shoot as you agreed, what 
shall we do, anyway?” sulked George, 
who felt it was an unlucky day, because 
no more apples could be found. 

“Why not play the Battle of Lexing- 
ton? That’s fun!” suggested Martha. 

“We can use the raft to sail up Lake 
Champlain, where it can be the first 
warship of the American navy,” added 
Anne. 

“All right — come on!” declared 


The Battle of Boston 


101 


John, who was glad to postpone his be- 
ing shot at by two good aims like 
George and Jack. 

“Here, or on the other side?” asked 
George. 

“Well, here’s a good tree for the 
earthworks on the hill near Boston,” 
ventured John. 

“We won’t need it for Lexington or 
Concord, but we really ought to have 
something that would pop like shot, or 
it won’t seem real,” replied Jack con- 
sideringly. 

“Can’t we skip those two first fights, 
and start right in with the burning of 
Charlestown and the fight on the hill? 
We can build a dandy bonfire for 
Charlestown,” said Anne. 

“Umm! Never again! We had a 
fire once when Washington’s home- 
stead burned down, and Jim’s just 
raisin’ a new crop of wool since then. 
My hair was frizzled to the roots, too, 
and our eyebrows were all gone. We 
looked awfully funny without winkers 
on our eyes or brows oyer them,” 
laughed George, the memory pf his 


102 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

burns too fresh to attempt a second fire 
even in play. 

“Then we can’t do it! We may as 
well go home and wait for the automo- 
bile to come back,” said Martha re- 
signedly. 

“I don’t see why. We can build 
earthworks and fight down the British 
as they come up the hill, and then the 
British can win the battle and fight us 
all the way back to Charlestown; and 
General Washington can come along 
and pat us on the back for courage and 
bravery, and then we can all plan to- 
gether how to get back at the British,” 
exclaimed George eagerly. 

“I’m wet and soggy, and Jim’s going 
to cry all afternoon, so I guess I’ll go 
back and change my clothes,” said 
Jack, suddenly feeling discouraged 
over the failure of his nation to win an 
easy battle. 

“If we keep away from the store- 
room, and creep up the front stairs to 
change our clothes, we can be sitting 
on the lawn under the canopy when 
mother gets back,” ventured Martha. 


The Battle of Boston 103 

“What about Jim?” worried several 
voices. 

“Let John take him home and dry 
his clothes, then they both can join us 
on the lawn, and sit quietly while the 
sun sets. Mother says she wants us to 
watch the fall sunsets, as they are al- 
ways so beautiful,” offered George. 

The others stared in unbelief at this 
daring commander, who suggested 
quietly admiring sunsets, but each felt 
that it would be as well to seem meek 
and quiet after the raid on the boxes in 
the store-room. 

So the good advice was followed, but 
Martha did not dream that Jim had 
dumped the washing-soda over the or- 
ange pekoe tea, so that it was impossi- 
ble to sift or wash it out. Hence, the 
Parkes had no tea that afternoon, nor, 
did the cook have her fragrant bever- 
age at each meal until the new chest 
came from Washington. 

“Well, didn’t the Yanks sacrifice tea 
to their patriotism that time in Boston?” 
asked Jack of his mother, when the 
story was told. 


CHAPTER VII 


BATTLES ABOUT NEW YORK 

fjT Tf THAT shall we play to-day?” 
yy asked Anne Davis, as the 
four cousins emerged from 
the breakfast-room. 

“Anything you like,” replied Martha 
politely. 

“Did Jim come home last night?” 
asked Jack. 

“Sure! And his mammy doesn’t 
know he had anything to do with that 
tea,” laughed George. 

“Well, let’s call him and decide on 
some game,” said Jack. So Jim was 
whistled for, and his shining face soon 
appeared from the kitchen-areaway. 

As the five playmates wandered 
across the lawn to the ever-welcome 
meeting-place of lilac bushes, they 
heard a shrill call and John soon ap- 

104 


Battles About New York 105 

peared from the hedge through which 
he crept. 

“We don’t know what to play,” ex- 
plained Martha to John, as the latest 
member to the party wondered at the 
calm and quietness of the warriors. 

“Let’s finish Bunker Hill,” he sug- 
gested. 

“Oh, we’re sick of Boston! It’s all 
right in a way, but not for a second 
time,” said George, thinking of the bat- 
tle of the day before. 

“Then let’s have a fight on Long 
Island, when the British drove the 
Americans from Brooklyn, to cross the 
East River to their main army,” said 
John. 

“I don’t want that either ! Can’t we 
go somewhere or do something differ- 
ent?” asked Martha. 

“If Washington’s army had only 
used submarines or airships like they 
do at present, we could have heaps of 
fun that way,” hinted Jack meaningly. 

“Oh, say, why can’t we build an aero- 
plane and try it?” cried George 
eagerly. 


106 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“What of?” asked John. 

“Where can we fly?” said Anne. 

“Well, we might experiment back of 
the barns. There’s a telegraph wire 
which runs across our property there, 
and we can run a plane down the wire 
that steadies the pole,” explained 
George. 

“Or we could stretch a wash-line 
near the ground from the barn-eaves 
to the pole, and toboggan an airship 
down that way,” added Jack. • 

“I’d rather play Washington cross- 
ing the Delaware, or at his farm when 
he was through being president of the 
United States,” said John, tenaciously 
clinging to the times of his ancestors. 

“No one can cross the ice on the 
river when it’s fall!” scorned George 
conclusively. 

. “Then we can have the farm!” in- 
sisted John. 

“Hoh, we have farm enough — no 
one wants to play farmer!” objected 
George. 

“Oh, well! Play anything then — I 
don’t care!” snapped John. 


Battles About New York 107 


But a call from the veranda set- 
tled all such troubles. “Children, who 
wants to go on a picnic?” 

“I do! I do!” sounded from every 
throat, and the children speedily rushed 
over to ask questions about the prof- 
fered treat. 

“Everybody secure permission at 
home, and meet us here in half an hour. 
I’ll look after the luncheon, so hurry 
up,” said Mrs. Parke. 

Everything else was forgotten in the 
bustle of preparing for the unexpected 
outing. 

“Where are we going, mother?” 
asked Martha. 

“Why, aunty wishes to see Mount 
Vernon, so I thought it would be a 
fine drive there in the machine. We 
can have lunch in the woods along 
the road, and be home again before 
night,” explained Mrs. Parke. 

Before she had quite finished speak- 
ing the children were shouting and 
jumping with delight. Jim alone stood 
silently by, his face expressing his state 
of mind, for he had no idea that he 


108 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

was to be included in this joyous 
party. 

“Hey, Jim! What’s the matter? 
Aren’t you glad and excited about it?” 
cried George, catching him by his thin 
little arms and whirling him around in 
a dizzy dance. 

“Whad should Ah be glad affer?” 
mourned Jim. 

“Because you’re going, too, if mam- 
my will consent,” said Mrs. Parke 
kindly. 

“Me ! Kin Ah ride wid yo’ all to dat 
Mount Wernon?” yelled Jim shrilly. 
Then not waiting for a reply he rushed 
away, and was soon out of sight around 
the corner of the house. 

Every one laughed, and John was 
told to run home and get his coat and 
cap. In a few moments Jim was back 
again, talking six ways at once. 

“Mammy say, da’s fine! Is Ah 
goin’ t’ dress up lak fo’ chu’ch? Is we 
goin’ right off quick? Has Ah got 
time t’ have granny sew buttons on m’ 
boiled shirt an’ get a baff?” 

“Yes, yes, yes! Run along and do 


Battles 'About New York 109 

everything, you say,” laughed Mrs? 
Parke, giving Jim a gentle push in the 
direction of the kitchen. 

In half an hour’s time every one was 
waiting on the veranda steps for Jim. 
The large car was puffing impatiently 
to be on the road, when a gayly be-’ 
decked personage emerged from the 
areaway. 

“Oo-oh! It’s Jim!” yelled George, 
clapping Jack’s back. 

“So ’tis !” breathed Martha as if a 
louder tone would dispel the illusion. 

“Is Ah dressed enuff?” asked Jim, 
beaming. 

“I should think so — the best of the 
lot of us!” admired Jack. 

Jim minced over to display his fine 
feathers to the eyes that comprised his 
world. He had on a pair of patent 
leather pumps outgrown by George, a; 
pair of Scotch plaid socks such as were 
worn by children some years ago. 
Between the top of the socks and his 
claret-colored velveteen breeches, his 
dark-brown bowed legs made a somber 
break. His starched shirt was too 


110 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

tight, but to obviate this failure, young 
mammy had pinned a lace jabot in 
front, where the black cloth Eton 
opened. A straw alpine hat presented 
to Jim’s father by Mr. Graham, topped 
this unusual costume. 

Although some of the children felt 
like giggling, they were too polite, and 
thought too much of Jim to let him see 
what they thought of his travelling cos- 
tume. So, with heart bounding joy- 
ously, he climbed in “wid dee comp’ny” 
in the automobile. 

It was a long but delightful drive 
to Mount Vernon, and on the way 
there, Mrs. Parke told the children 
many interesting things in connection 
with the Washingtons. 

“Of course we all know how Mount 
Vernon came to belong to George 
Washington, don’t we?” 

“We do!” exclaimed George, looking 
at Martha and his cousins. 

“I don’t, Mrs. Parke — and I don’t 
b’lieve Jim does,” said John. 

“Ah knows that Garge General 
Washerton was the fust fadder uv dis 


Battles About New York 111 

country, but Ah nebber hearn who its 
mudder was,” replied Jim seriously. 

Every one shouted with laughter at 
the unexpected remark, and the chauf- 
feur smiled, too. 

“I’ll tell you about Mount Vernon 
first, and then we may have time to ex- 
plain to Jim about the parentage of 
America,” said Mrs. Parke, patting the 
woolly head beside her. 

“I have read to you how Augustine 
Washington, father of our famous 
George Washington, was twice mar- 
ried. Two sons of the first marriage 
and six children of the second mar- 
riage. At the father’s death, his estate 
was divided among the children. The 
oldest son inherited an estate near 
Hunting Creek, afterward called 
Mount Vernon by him, after his friend 
and beloved hero, Admiral Vernon. 

“This estate consisted originally of 
2,500 acres, but later considerable land 
was added to it, until it became one of 
the best country estates in Virginia. 

“The second son by the first mar- 
riage inherited an estate in Westmore- 


.112 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

land. George Washington was left the 
land and mansion where his parents 
lived at the time of the father’s death. 
Each of the other children inherited 
farms of from six to eight hundred 
acres. 

“Soon after leaving school George 
went to live with his brother at Mount 
Vernon, the mistress of which was a 
sister of William Fairfax, distantly 
related to Lord Fairfax. In this way 
George became acquainted with Wil- 
liam Fairfax, who invited the youth to 
visit him at Belvoir. 

“During this visit George made the 
acquaintance of the sons and daughters 
of his host, and also received a recom- 
mendation to Lord Fairfax for a posi- 
tion of surveyor. 

“The study of practical surveying 
formed an important part of Wash- 
ington’s career, as it stood him in such 
good stead later in life. 

“Lawrence Washington had pul- 
monary trouble and was told to seek a 
milder climate. George was a great 
favorite with the oldest member of the 


Battles About New York 113 

Washington family, and he induced 
him to accompany him to the Barba- 
does to recuperate his health, but as it 
did no good he returned home, and 
shortly after passed away. 

“In his will he appointed George 
Washington one of his executors, and 
the estate of Mount Vernon was be- 
queathed to his daughter. In case of 
her death without heirs the property 
was to pass to George. Thus it was 
that at the early death of the daughter 
of Lawrence, Mount Vernon became 
the property of George Washington.” 

“But he didn’t need it when he mar- 
ried Martha Custis, ’cause you told us 
one day that she had a big estate of her 
own,” said Martha. 

“Yes, she was the mistress of a fine 
plantation called ‘White House,’ and 
from this home she was married to her 
second husband, George Washington. 
But soon after this union she removed 
to Mount Vernon, which was ever 
after known as her home and family 
residence. 

“To make this house a fitting home 


114 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

for the bride George ordered many 
items of art and luxury from his agent 
in England. Among other things he 
ordered a bust of Frederick the Great, 
little dreaming that not many years 
hence his walls would be adorned by a 
portrait sent him by the monarch him- 
self and autographed with the words, 
‘From the oldest general in Europe 
to the greatest general in the world.’ 

“Among the memoranda of his 
estate, business and house bookkeep- 
ing there can still be seen in the library 
or study at Mount Vernon many of the 
aged papers filed away since the day 
he first entered the items on his ac- 
counts. 

“We will also see some of the ‘tabby- 
colored’ gowns sent to Martha Wash- 
ington from England, and the laces, 
fans, shell combs and satin slippers 
worn by her and never dreaming at 
that time that a group of distant de- 
scendants would visit the place to gaze 
at the articles she once wore or handled 
as we do everyday things.” 

“Mother, will we see some of Wash- 


Battles About New York 115 

ington’s swords and guns?” asked 
George, plainly showing the bent of 
his desire. 

“Yes, we will see many interesting 
things belonging to General Washing- 
ton, from the time he first became 
owner of Mount Vernon to the day 
he passed away forever. Since the 
organization formed to protect and 
hold this place sacred to the memory 
of the illustrious Washington many 
things not originally belonging to the 
estate were received and placed on ex- 
hibition there for the public to see. 
Among some of these relics are the 
treasured articles belonging to descend- 
ants of the friends of Washington, and 
the interesting narratives of how they 
came into the possession of the arti- 
cles furnished historical stories.” 

Questions and answers about the 
general and his home so soon to be 
seen by the children occupied much 
time, and when these historical facts 
began to lose interest for the juvenile 
members of the party Mrs. Davis sug- 
gested that they stop and have their 


116 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

picnic lunch, after which they would 
conclude the trip. 

This met with great approval, and 
soon every one was busy munching 
chicken sandwiches or enjoying juicy 
fruit. Half an hour was the time al- 
lotted for lunch, and then Mrs. Parke 
gave the signal for every one to climb 
back in the automobile. 

When they arrived at the stately 
mansion they were impressed by the 
elegance of the place, and the children 
were overawed to find visitors there 
from every known part of the world. 

They followed the official guide 
about and heard the descriptions of the 
articles exhibited. In the kitchen, the 
old-fashioned fireplace, the crane, the 
pot-hangers, iron pots and teakettles 
amused the girls. The ladies admired 
the old china kept in the cumbersome 
cupboards, and the boys smiled at the 
heavy solid chairs and tables once used 
by the slaves and servants of the Wash- 
ingtons. 

In the general’s private den, or 
study, were still found the yellow-aged 


Battles About New York 117 


papers, pens, ink horns and other 
items used by him in the management 
of his properties. 

In the chambers the visitors found 
many interesting things to see — four- 
posted beds, quaint chairs, low rockers 
with most uncomfortable straight 
backs, queer dressers and wardrobes. 

The garments and toilette articles 
were carefully protected in glass cases, 
and everything was labelled plainly so 
all could read the descriptions and 
dates when used. 

On the homeward ride Martha said: 
“Well, both those ancestors seem more 
real to me now than ever before.” 

“Yes, but it won’t be any fun playing 
war with broomsticks again, after see- 
ing the great swords and other weapons 
shown there,” said George, feeling 
that he had lost much of the delusion 
of boyhood. 

“Why don’t you ask your father for 
real guns — I mean the pea-shooters 
you can buy at a toy shop,” suggested 
Jack. 

“Why, of course, mother. .Will yoii 


118 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

ask him about it?” said George 
eagerly. 

“If I were you, Kate, I would. Jack 
has a rifle that shoots peas or beans, 
and it takes a load of care from my 
mind, for I know he can’t injure 
anything with a dried pea. And boys 
will have some form of gun, you know, 
especially if they are forever playing 
George Washington, in the days of In- 
dian wars and revolutions,” said Mrs. 
Davis. 

“I’ll ask father and we’ll see what 
he thinks,” replied Mrs. Parke. 

“One won’t be enough ! Martha and 
Jim each need one, and John will have 
to get one, too,” reminded George 
anxiously. 

“John had better ask his father if he 
will consent to this new plan of de- 
fense,” laughed Mrs. Parke. 

“Ah rickon mah mammy won’t ’ject 
to a pea-gun ’cause it hain’t so bad as 
an axe, yo’ knows,” murmured Jim. 

“Hoh, I guess not! And John’s 
folks will be glad to know he won’t be 
scalped again, even if we play Brad- 


Battles About New York 119 

dock and the Indians, like that other 
time,” added George, thinking of the 
great battle between the French and 
British at the time the hedge was 
broken down. 

“If we could only have those guns 
while Jack and Anne are visiting us we 
could have the real battles of Long 
Island, Harlem and Jersey,” sighed 
John. 

“Mother, you must try and have 
father tend to it next time he passes a 
toy shop in Washington, won’t you?” 
begged George eagerly. 

“I’ll tell him what aunty said, and 
leave it to his own good judgment 
whether you should have a pea-shooter 
or a new form of punishment,” teased 
Mrs. Parke. 

But George and Martha understood 
their mother so well that they felt sure 
she would advise the guns at once, so 
they chattered all about the forthcom- 
ing battles to be fought the moment 
the rifles arrived from the store. 

That night Mr. Parke heard all 
about Mount Vernon from four ex- 


120 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

cited children and the two ladies, who 
now and then were permitted to add a 
word or explain a remark ; but the most 
interesting topic of conversation was 
the question of pea-shooters. 

Finally Mr. Parke admitted he was 
defeated in his arguments against 
rifles in days of disarmament, so the 
children felt quite sure he would order 
the proper weapons for home defense. 

A few days after the visit to Mount 
Vernon a large box came from a shop 
devoted entirely to toys and games for 
children. The excited juvenile members 
of the family stood impatiently waiting 
while the lid was removed, for they had 
expected guns, but not in such a pack- 
ing case. 

The first thing taken out was a long 
envelope addressed to “Soldiers and 
Defenders of America.” Upon open- 
ing it Mrs. Parke smiled and read 
aloud : 

“ ‘The contents of this box to be pre- 
sented to the different members of the 
Continental army, to wit: George and 
Martha Parke, Jack and Anne Davis, 


Battles About New York 121 

John Graham and Jim (Jackson) as 
addressed on each package herein, 
upon the satisfactory recital, learned 
by heart, of the maxims and rules 
learned and followed by George Wash- 
ington from the time he attended Mr. 
Williams’ school, and written by Sir 
Matthew Hale under the title of “Con- 
templations.” As each student satis- 
factorily recites these “Contempla- 
tions” to Mrs. Parke and Mrs. Davis, 
he or she may take and become the 
owner of the package addressed to him 
or her.’ ” 


CHAPTER VIII 


EARNING THE PRIZES 

A S may be imagined, no time was 
lost in play or other occupations 
as long as those packages re- 
mained unopened in the case. From 
the examination of the outside George 
said he was sure they contained com- 
plete outfits for the army. If this sur- 
mise was correct, what a glorious time 
they would have when all dressed up 
in suitable uniforms! 

“Mother, how can we all learn those 
maxims by heart when we have only 
one book to study from?” asked 
George. 

“I thought of that, too, and asked 
father to have his secretary copy them 
on paper, so each of you could have a 
set to study,” said Mrs. Parke. 

122 


Earning the Prizes 


123 


“Oh, then you knew all about these 
prizes before they came, eh?’* said 
Martha. 

“Yes, and now I’ll get the papers for 
you. Jim will have to have you read 
his aloud and help him memorize 
them,” replied Mrs. Parke, going over 
to the desk, where she took up a bundle 
of typewritten sheets to distribute to 
the children. 

“I wish to read a short introduction 
to these rules that were such a guide to 
our great general. These ‘Contempla- 
tions’ formed the subject of Washing- 
ton’s early study and devotions. They 
exerted a direct influence in the forma- 
tion of his principles of action. His 
well-known habits of private devotion 
to Deity were formed somewhat by im- 
printing on his mind such passages as 
the following: 

“ ‘An humble man leans not to his 
own understanding; he is sensible of 
the deficiency of his own power and 
wisdom, and trusts not in it; he is also 
sensible of the all-sufficient power, wis- 
dom and goodness of almighty God, 


124 Little Washingtons’ ' Relatives 

and commits himself to Him for coun- 
sel, guidance, direction and strength. 

“ ‘I can call my own experience to 
witness that in the external actions, oc- 
currences and incidents of my whole 
life I was never disappointed of the 
best guidance and direction when in 
humility and sense of my own defi- 
ciency, or inability to direct myself, or 
to grapple with the difficulties of my 
life, I have with humility and sincerity 
implored the secret direction and guid- 
ance of the Divine Wisdom and Provi- 
dence. 

“ ‘And I dare appeal to the strict ob- 
servation of any man’s experience — 
whether those counsels and purposes 
which have been taken up after an 
humble invocation of the Divine Di- 
rection have not always been most suc- 
cessful in the end. 

“ ‘Consider what it is that thou 
pridest thyself in and examine well the 
nature of the things themselves, how 
little and inconsiderable they are; at 
least how uncertain and unstable they 
are. 


Earning the Prizes 


125 


“ ‘Thou hast fine clothes, and this 
makes children and young men and 
women proud, even to admiration; but 
thou art not half so fine and gay as the 
peacock, ostrich or parrot, nor is thy 
finery so much thine as theirs is, hut it 
is borrowed from the silkworm, the 
gold mines, the industry of the em- 
broiderer, weaver, tailor, and is no part 
of thyself. And hast thou the patience 
to suffer thyself to be abused into this 
childish, pitiful, foolish pride? 

“ ‘Thou hast, it may be, wealth, stores 
of money; but how much of it is of 
use to thee? That which thou spendest 
is gone; that which thou keepest is as 
insignificant as so much dirt or clay; 
only thy care about it makes thy life 
the more uneasy. 

“ ‘Thou hast honor, esteem ; thou art 
deceived, for thou hast it not; he hath it 
that giveth it thee, and which he may 
detain from thee at pleasure; but sup- 
pose it were as fixed a reputation as a 
rock of marble, and that it were the 
best kind of honor imaginable — the 
result of virtue or worth — canst thou 


126 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

think it reasonable to be proud of the 
shadow, where thou oughtest not to be 
proud of that worth that causeth it? 

“ ‘Again : Thou art in great power, 
or place and authority; but thou art 
mistaken in this; the power thou hast 
is not inherent in thyself. One of the 
meanest of those whom it may be thou 
oppressest is as powerful as thee, and 
could, it may be, overmatch thee in 
strength, wit or policy; but thy power 
is invested in thee by those men whose 
promises, faith, or voluntary assistance 
thou hast. This power depends upon 
the fidelity or assistance of others, 
which, if withdrawn, leaves you like 
Samson shorn of his locks. Thy 
strength will go from thee, and thou 
wilt become weak, and be like another 
man.’ ” 

“Mother, you have read quite enough 
for one day. It will likely take us a 
week to learn all that by heart, and that 
will be a week of this visit lost!” cried 
George disconsolately. 

“But suppose I entreat father to have 
you learn some verses from ‘Mother 


Earning the Prizes 


127 


Goose’ to recite to us instead of these 
maxims — do you think you could mem- 
orize them quickly?” suggested Mrs. 
Parke. 

“Oh, yes, mother! Do ask him that. 
We can learn ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ 
or anything like that in no time,” has- 
tily replied Martha. 

“Ah! then it shows that the only 
trouble with memorizing these truly 
great sayings is that you won’t bother 
to study what is good and helpful! 
‘Mother Goose’ is funny and amusing, 
and you promise to learn any such 
verses quickly; that is why father 
wishes you to learn these ‘Contempla- 
tions’ and afterward wear the uniform 
of an American soldier; because one 
cannot be frivolous and inclined to con- 
stant fun if he is to be the custodian of 
his country’s safety,” declared Mrs. 
Parke. 

“But can’t you see that ‘all work and 
no play makes Jack a dull boy?’ ” 
argued George impatiently. 

“Have you any proposal to make 
better than the one father planned for 


.128 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

the earning of the prize packages?” 
asked his mother. 

“Well, we might arrange it this way: 
For every set of contemplations or 
maxims we learn each day we are to 
receive something from those packages 
as a reward. If we learn a long para- 
graph like some you read to us just 
now we ought to have some big item 
in the package. For a short verse or 
paragraph you are to give us a glove 
or a shoe or a cap — if there are any in 
the boxes,” said George. 

“Yes, yes! That is a fine idea!” 
shouted the other children in chorus, 
so that the ladies smiled. 

“Well, as the main thing is to have 
you learn these valuable sayings by 
heart, it may be better to serve them out 
to you one a day, and pay the reward 
as you suggest. But remember, the 
prize is not what we are aiming at — it 
is the memory of the great words, that 
will have its effect on your after lives,” 
responded Mrs. Parke. 

“Yes, yes, we know! We’ll let it 
affect our after life if you will but let 


Earning the Prizes 


129 


us have the soldiers’ outfits right now !” 
retorted George, so that every one 
laughed at his reply. 

“Well, then take the first paragraph 
and learn it well. As each one knows it 
without error we will hear it recited 
and give the reward for the study,” 
sighed Mrs. Parke, who feared the 
wonderful words would fail to leave 
an impression such as her husband 
hoped for. 

For the rest of that day very little 
commotion was heard about the Parke 
house, but Jack appeared’ about four 
o’clock with the assurance that he had 
mastered the first maxim. 

Mrs. Davis heard him recite it while 
both ladies held a copy of the paper. 
He had memorized the words, but 
seemed to have failed in understanding 
them, so his recital was more like that 
of a parrot’s speech. 

“Just what I thought,” said Mrs. 
Parke, in an aside. 

“Kate, we must add to this method 
of memorizing; each child should be 
able to explain what the words mean 


130 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

and how they individually interpret 
them.” 

“Please give me my prize now and 
talk over the best way to impress our 
minds when I am gone,” cried Jack, 
disappointed that he had not been 
handed his package immediately upon 
rendering the maxim correctly. 

With a sigh of despair his mother 
gave him the first reward — a khaki 
army coat trimmed with blue braid and 
brass buttons. It was a very elaborate 
affair, that any youthful general might 
be proud to wear. 

The moment Jack saw it he gave a 
wild cheer and raced from the room 
to call to his companions. From the 
lilac bushes, from the summer house, 
from the cool back porch and from the 
hammocks swung under the maple 
trees ran the friends who were eager 
to admire the prize won by the first 
member of their army. 

The boys had to try it on, and there 
followed many exclamations of delight 
and approval. Then, as each wished 
it was his they remembered the way to 


Earning the Prizes 131 

earn one, so they hurried back to their 
papers. 

Thus, by learning the paragraphs in 
order as they came on the pages, the 
children not only won rewards, but also 
imbibed the high and excellent maxims 
followed by General Washington. 

When the first few rules were learned 
Mrs. Parke gave the children new ones. 
As she distributed them she said: “Be- 
fore you go I wish to read some splen- 
did things Washington wrote as he sup- 
poses himself to be standing before the 
Seat of Judgment, answering to God 
for the charges given him to account 
for: 

“ ‘I have given unto you all under- 
standing and reason, to be a guide of 
your actions, and to some of you more 
eminent degrees thereof. 

“ ‘I have given you a conscience to 
direct you, and to check you in your 
miscarriages, and to encourage you in 
well-doing; and I have furnished that 
conscience of yours with light and 
principles of truth and practice con- 
formable to my will. 


132 Little Washingtons’ Relatives . 

“ ‘I have given you the advantage of 
speech, whereby to communicate your 
thoughts to one another and to instruct 
and advantage one another by the help 
thereof. 

“ ‘I have given you counsel and ad- 
vice of faithful and judicious friends; 
good laws in the place and country 
where you live; the written word of 
God acquainting you with my will and 
the way to eternal life; the word 
preached thereof; the sacrament both 
for your initiation and confirmation. 

“ ‘And the man who stands at the bar 
of judgment answering his God must 
give a true and faithful accounting of 
all he did or hoped to accomplish with 
the talents thus given him on earth.’ 

“Now, children, this last section of 
Washington’s words are to me most im- 
portant, as they embody the whole basis 
of his religious attitude. And every 
one knows what an account he could 
render the Master for being a Good 
Steward in the field. 

“I am sure that his harvest must 
have been very acceptable to God, for 


Earning the Prizes 133 

there were no tares mixed with his 
wheat,” said Mrs. Parke seriously. 

“If our children — descendants of that 
noble character, Washington — can ren- 
der as good a record of works accom- 
plished on earth when they appear 
before the Throne of the Great Judge 
it will be a cause for great rejoicing 
and thanksgiving for all,” added Mrs. 
Davis. 

“Yes, I suppose it would, aunty, but 
you see times change and so do folks, 
and ways change with them. George 
Washington just had to be good ’cause 
it was born in him, and God made him 
feel that he had to be an example for 
America. Doesn’t it show it was so, 
when he never wanted to quarrel in 
school, he never told a lie — even kept 
his mouth shut when something was 
being asked that he knew all about — 
and the way he sacrificed fun and good 
times just to study old dry stuff like 
these maxims? Oh, he was, indeed, a 
queer boy!” sighed George, rolling his 
eyes upward in earnest contemplation 
of the ceiling. 


134 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

The ladies had great difficulty in 
maintaining serious faces at these re- 
marks, but they felt all would be ruined 
if they laughed outright, so they man- 
aged, both of them, to remain stern and 
respectful. 

“Haven’t we occasion to thank God 
that he was such a serious-minded boy? 
What would the United States have 
done if he had been otherwise?’’ asked 
Mrs. Parke. 

“But it didn’t! If Washington 
wasn’t that kind God would have raised 
up another Moses in the Land of Bond- 
age, to lead the poor colonists out of 
Egypt!” declared Martha trium- 
phantly. 

“You said yourself, while explain- 
ing some Bible reading the other day, 
that it wasn’t the name or mortal man 
that did all the great and glorious 
things, but the power of the Principle 
that influenced and operated through a 
being. Then I could be as great as 
General Washington if the test came 
and I was being moved to do glorious 
deeds through the help of God,” said 


Earning the Prizes 135 

George, frowning over such a theo- 
logical problem. 

“Yes, you could, if you understood 
enough of the Truth and operation of 
God, who is Principle, to apply what 
you knew; but the Truth does not op- 
erate blindly, remember, and Wash- 
ington would never have been guided 
as he was if he hadn’t applied his 
thoughts seriously to finding out the 
‘deep things of God’,” said Mrs. Parke 
earnestly. 

The children showed an eagerness to 
get away from further preaching, so 
the ladies rose as a signal that the 
meeting was over. With grateful sighs 
the youngsters hurried away to learn 
the next dry and, to them, senseless 
maxim of Washington’s. 


CHAPTER IX 

THE ARMY WINS UNIFORMS 

I T took a full week to win every 
prize contained in the packing 
case, but only half of the maxims 
had been learned, as there were more 
“Contemplations” than rewards. When 
the children heard there was no more 
prize clothing to be won they lost inter- 
est in the learning of Washington’s 
rules of life. 

To insure continued interest in the 
maxims Mrs. Davis suggested a plan. 

“Now that Mr. Parke bought and 
gave the army uniforms, I think I’ll 
‘do my bit’ also. These children ought 
to begin to make things and earn 
money for War Relief in Europe. I 
had thought of getting them a light- 
weight boat that would float on the 
creek, but now that every one ought to 
do something I think I will send for 

136 


The Army Wins Uniforms 137 

wool and needles, that the girls may 
learn to knit vests, caps and mittens 
for our boys at the front. What do 
you think of it?” 

“Oh, George and Martha have plenty 
of those things, but somehow they 
never sit still long enough to knit more 
than one row a day, and the war will 
end before they complete a single sock. 
Besides, they feel as if knitting was 
worse than going in the trenches, so I 
haven’t insisted upon the work as yet. 
Better supply them with the boat, where 
they can frolic and keep healthy out-of- 
doors without danger to themselves,” 
advised Mrs. Parke. 

“Quite a difference in cash between 
a boat and knitting outfits,” laughed 
Mr. Parke. 

“Yes, and quite a margin in health, 
too, as Kate says,” replied Mrs. Davis. 

“Better let us share the cost of the 
boat together,” ventured Mrs. Parke. 

“Indeed not! I have been wonder- 
ing what to buy the two children as a 
gift when I came through Washington, 
but I determined to wait and see what 


138 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

they would enjoy most. Now that they 
have the General Washington idea in 
their minds, I think the boat is just the 
thing. They can have fights at sea and 
use it for crossing and recrossing the 
Hudson, the Delaware, or Lake Cham- 
plain, as they wish — all on the creek, 
where the water is not half as deep or 
dangerous as the Hudson,” explained 
Mrs. Davis. 

“If you wish me to select one that I 
think will answer all purposes for the 
children I will do so, as I am going 
down to a building concern that spe- 
cializes in canoes and pleasure crafts. 
I have to interview them about an in- 
surance policy which they wish to in- 
crease. At the same time I can inquire 
as to the price of a light-weight boat,” 
said Mr. Parke. 

So the next evening he returned 
home with news for Mrs. Davis. “I 
saw my man who handles boats and 
canoes and, fortunately, he had just the 
thing needed for the creek. He made 
the boat six months ago for some chil- 
dren, but the father lost a great deal of 


The Army Wins Uniforms 139 

money in bad speculations and couldn’t 
pay the balance due on it. Now, you 
can have that same boat for the price 
still owing on the bill. In this way the 
children get a fine boat for the same 
cost as a cheap or poorer one.” 

“I hope you ordered it sent on?” 
asked Mrs. Davis eagerly. 

“Yes, I did so, for now that you have 
spoken of the idea I wonder that I 
never thought of a boat before,” re- 
plied Mr. Parke. 

The Davises expected to remain 
about three weeks, but the first week 
had passed so quickly and the second 
week was so entirely taken up with 
studying maxims and winning prizes 
that it was not until the beginning of 
the third week that the plan was ar- 
ranged to buy the Parke children a toy 
which they could enjoy for a long time. 

All during the third week the Pro- 
vincial army dressed in its hard-earned 
uniforms and paraded or drilled faith- 
fully. 

As usual, George was the command- 
er-in-chief, John was Marquis de 


140 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

Lafayette, Jack was General Howe, 
although the Englishman wore the 
American uniform; Jim was the whole 
regular army, for Martha and Anne 
took turns in being General Sullivan, 
Nathan Hale, Allen, Schuyler, and 
others, just according to the battles 
fought or the places where the army 
camped. 

Jim’s uniform was the same as that 
of the general, but his hat was differ- 
ent, and this constituted the rank. 
While George had a yellow tri-cor- 
nered hat trimmed with gold braid and 
tassels, jim was made to wear a cap 
found in the attic chest. This was a 
sorry trial to Jim, who fondled the gold- 
trimmed hat he had won by learning 
maxims,- but was not permitted to pa- 
rade with it on. As Jack sternly told 
him when he protested, “We’ve got to 
keep discipline in the ranks, and if we 
should let you wear any fancy hat you 
wanted what would the army do?” 

“Ah’m shore Ah donno, cuz dey 
ain’t no udder ranks den me!” retorted 
Jim rebelliously. 


The Army Wins Uniforms 141 

That made Jack think over the situa- 
tion. And the result was: “Say, gen- 
eral, what’s the use of having so many 
officers and no regulars? Make Anne 
and Martha play the soldier once in a 
while. I need some one on my side be- 
sides myself.” 

But Martha and Anne felt as much 
pleasure in their army uniforms, which 
were made exactly like the boys’, as the 
officers did in theirs, and they would 
not consent to wear common caps while 
gay cocked hats were put on the shelf. 

So the argument over proper head- 
gear in the army and the great need 
of more soldiers in the ranks continued 
all week, but the drilling with fife and 
drum and the rifle practice with dried 
peas or beans kept up, to the great 
amusement of the two ladies. 

Saturday a telephone message came 
to the house while the army was on the 
lawn questioning Washington’s right 
to choose Englishmen to help Jack. It 
had been decided that John take turns 
being first French and then British to 
help out General Howe, and the girls 


142 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

were supposed to each take a side, but 
they declined the honor and preferred 
to remain American. 

In the midst of an excited explana- 
tion from George why and wherefore, 
stating the reason the army never 
amounted to anything, Jim jumped up 
and pointed a trembling index finger 
at the driveway. 

The others jumped up from the 
grass to see the cause of his surprise, 
and all stood still in wonderment. 

On a long-framed wagon drawn by 
two truck horses lay a fine boat gayly 
painted in red, white and blue stripes. 
The ladies, Mrs. Parke and Mrs. Davis, 
walked behind the wagon as it slowly 
went down a side road that led over 
the bridge. 

But the army did not remain long in 
a paralyzed state. Before the teamster 
had covered more than five yards of 
the side road crossing the creek British 
and American officers and men yelled 
and ran up to tug at the two ladies, 
demanding to know how the boat hap- 
pened to be there. 


The Army Wins Uniforms 143 

So loud was the clamor that no one 
heard what any one else said, and the 
driver reached the creek, where many 
hands were eager to assist him in lift- 
ing the wonderful craft from the 
wagon to the creek. 

“No, I sent for the gardener and 
chauffeur to help this man. He is re- 
sponsible for the safe delivery of the 
boat, and it is not fair to him to risk 
its safety by letting excited boys help 
carry it from the wagon,” said Mrs. 
Davis firmly. 

The two men soon arrived and 
helped transfer the boat to the water, 
where it rode gracefully on the slow 
surface of the stream. The teamster 
and the help went away, but the army 
was not aware of their going — all eyes 
were fixed on the boat. 

Mrs. Parke told the children that it 
was a gift from aunty, so that they 
could play American history with a 
warship better than without any. 

“Who can row? Can you, Jack?” 
asked George. 

“No, but it’s easy. You just pull 


144 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

back and forth on the upper end of the 
oar and away she goes,” said Jack. 

“Well, please take off the general’s 
uniform before you begin practice. A 
bathing suit would be better to wear 
while you are learning,” laughed Mrs. 
Parke. 

“Why, we won’t fall out,” said Anne. 

“There isn’t any reason why you 
should, but there is no telling when 
such experts in rowing as Jack, take 
a hand,” said Mrs. Davis. 

George, John and Jack were already 
in the boat, but there was but one pair 
of oar-locks and one set of oars, so only 
one could row. Seeing that Jack’s 
mother presented the boat, George re- 
linquished his prerogative as command- 
er-in-chief, and sat down to watch his 
cousin row. 

In spite of Jack’s, explanation that all 
you did was “to just pull back and 
forth,” it seemed difficult to move the 
boat in the right direction. After many 
futile attempts, he turned over the oars 
for George to try. 

The ladies stood on the bank laugh- 


The Army Wins Uniforms 145 

ing at the general’s failure to row prop- 
erly, and then John also failed. 

“Do you girls want to try?” asked 
Mrs. Davis. 

Jim stood by grinning delightedly at 
the boys in the boat, but not daring to 
hope that he would ever be invited to 
row. Martha saw his intense attitude 
and whispered to her mother, “Let’s 
ask Jim if he wants to try?” 

Mrs. Parke nodded smilingly. “Jim, 
do you want to try and see if you can 
move the boat?” 

With a start of amazed joy, the “rank 
and file” of the American army stut- 
tered and stammered that it would! 

George and Jack jumped out, leav- 
ing John in the prow, and then Jim 
climbed in. He turned and said: 
“Does de lady officers wanta come in?” 

“Not till you have your trial, Jim. 
Then they are going to try, too,” re- 
plied Mrs. Parke. 

Now Jim had often accompanied his 
daddy on fishing trips for the day, and 
upon these excursions on the river, the 
little fellow had been taught how to 


146 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

manage a pair of oars and a boat. But 
the oars and boats found tied up to old 
tree stumps along the sluggish river 
banks were cumbersome, unmanage- 
able affairs in comparison to this egg- 
shell craft, with its ash blades to propel 
it on the bosom of the quiet creek. 

Hence, Jim sat down and admired 
the oars to his heart’s content, and then 
examined the ribbed sides and deck- 
flooring of the inside of the boat. The 
shiny varnish and brass-studded wood 
enchanted his soul so that he forgot to 
take up the oars. 

“Hurry up, Jim! Take your turn 
and then let the rest have theirs!” 
shouted George impatiently. 

Jim grinned so that every glistening 
tooth in his wide mouth showed dis- 
tinctly, and he bent to pick up the oar- 
blades. After fitting them methodically 
in the oar-locks, he sat down. But the 
boys noticed that he sat on the next seat 
to the one they had occupied when try- 
ing to row. They also saw him try to 
brace his feet against the foot-rack, but 
he was too short. They found, how- 


The Army Wins Uniforms 147 

ever, that Jim very well knew what he 
was about. 

While the spectators held their breath 
in surprise, Jim bent back on the oars 
and slowly let the blade sink under 
water. He then bent forward, and as 
the flat sides of the oars pushed against 
the water, the boat began moving. With 
surprisingly regular and serviceable 
strokes for such a little shaver, Jim soon 
rowed the boat across the creek and 
started back for the landing, where his 
friends stood waiting to congratulate 
him. 

“Behold, the conquering hero 
comes!” sang Mrs. Parke, as Jim 
brought the nose of the boat up against 
the mossy bank. 

“My goodness! Jim knows more 
about a ship than any of us !” declared 
George, willing to give praise when it 
was deserved. 

“He is the real captain — not the play- 
kind we made him on the raft that day!” 
admired Jack, looking Jim up and 
down to find out how such a miracle 
could happen. 


148 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

“Ef yo’ all say Ah am a reel cap’n, 
den Ah ain’t goin’ t’ be no common 
solger no moh! Ah kin be a cap’n uv 
a warship!” said Jim daringly. 

“He must be an admiral of the 
navy!” suddenly exclaimed Jack. 

“And wear a sword from his belt — 
they all did!” added John, not to be out- 
done in magnanimity. 

“And teach all the common seamen 
and marines how to row and manage a 
ship at sea!” laughed Mrs. Parke. 

But Jim was overcome with so many 
unexpected honors, and he might have 
started for the barn to hide, had not 
General Howe challenged him. 

“Admiral Dewey, I dare you to sail 
to Cuba and fight the Spanish fleet 
there !” 

Jim looked around for explanations, 
and Jack laughed. “I mean, we will 
run over to John’s side of the creek 
while you sail the ship across the sea 
to attack us there.” 

“No, Jim isn’t going to enter into 
any such plan as that ! The boat is not 
to be used for a sea-fight till every one 


The Army Wins Uniforms 149 

knows how to manage and row it,” in- 
terjected Mrs. Davis. 

During the next week armies and 
uniforms were forgotten, while the chil- 
dren spent their entire time at the creek 
learning to row the boat. It had been 
named “The Washingtons,” and many 
wonderful cruises were planned by the 
American army that week. 

Mrs. Davis had been persuaded to 
extend her visit over a fourth week, but 
now she said she must go home again. 
Mr. Davis wrote he was lonesome with- 
out the children, and the cook had gone 
the day after the mistress left. He had 
been eating at his club, but being a 
family man, he missed his home. 

When Mrs. Davis learned of the 
cook’s leaving, she was annoyed, for 
the woman had promised faithfully to 
remain during her mistress’s absence. 

“Dear me, I wish we had such faith- 
ful servants as you Virginia people 
have!” sighed she, thinking of the de- 
voted help her cousin always had. 

“Environment has much to do with 
it. If I lived North and you lived 


ISO Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

South, the tables would be turned. But 
do not let the loss of a cook make you 
hurry away from us,” said Mrs. Parke. 

“It won’t, but I have already over- 
stayed my time a week, and I did want 
to stop off at New York on my home- 
ward way and show the children some 
of the historic places there. Now, I 
suppose I’ll have to go straight home 
and find a cook!” 

“If you will listen to me, I’ll make a 
suggestion,” said Mr. Parke, lowering 
his newspaper. 

“We always listen to the men, but we 
seldom follow their advice,” laughed 
Mrs. Parke. 

“I was about to say: Why not wire 
Sam to meet you in New York, and in 
that way forget his. club dinners for' a 
few days? I am going to New York on 
a business trip, and I had a vague idea 
of inviting my wife to accompany me. 
Now, if you will consider such a plan, 
we may as well take George and Mar- 
tha, too, and make a family party of it. 
The children will be greatly improved 
by visiting all the points of interest 


The Army Wins Uniforms 151 


mentioned to them in the history of 
George Washington’s life, and I am 
sure you ladies will enjoy taking them 
about during the day while I am busy 
with my New York branch of busi- 
ness.” 

The ladies looked at each other with 
pleased surprise, for such a trip always 
met with approval from all concerned. 

“I see you offer no objections, but it 
still remains for me to consult the four 
younger members of the family and 
hear their verdict!” laughed Mr. Parke. 

“Oh, no — no ! If you love peace and 
quiet at home, do not drop a hint of this 
proposed treat to them. Why, they’d 
have the whole place in an uproar un- 
til the time to leave for the train,” re- 
monstrated Mrs. Parke. 

“Just wire Sam and arrange it with 
him. We’ll fix up matters here, and, 
without a word to the children, prepare 
for a visit to New York,” added Mrs. 
Davis. 

So it was done, but the party was not 
to start till Monday. On the Friday pre- 
luding, Mrs. Graham called at the 


152 Little Washingtons’ Relatives 

Parke house to invite George and Mar- 
tha to go with John on a visit to a greats 
aunt living in New York. 

“I haven’t said a word to John about 
it, but I knew your visitors were going 
on Monday, and I thought the children 
would enjoy a trip if I promised to 
watch them well,” explained Mrs. 
Graham. 

Then she heard of the secret plan 
which was about to take place. As 
she and John expected to start Tuesday 
morning, it was decided that she would 
change her plans and go with the others 
on Monday. And, as everybody would 
be in New York at least a week, John 
could daily meet his American army 
friends and accompany them to the 
points of interest in and about New 
York City. 

Sunday afternoon, Jim was sent for 
and told the great secret. He was given 
sole charge of the wonderful boat, and 
told he could sail it to his heart’s con- 
tent. Also, he could play in the attic 
and look at any picture-book in the attic 
book-case, or on the library shelves, 


The Army Wins Uniforms 153 

during the absence of his companions. 
This opened such vistas of delight to 
Jim that he never gave a thought to the 
fact that the other children were going 
to have a far more wonderful treat. 

It is quite impossible to describe the 
excitement and deafening chorus that 
greeted the announcement of the New 
York trip. Mr. Parke was most grate- 
ful to his wife, that he had not men- 
tioned the event sooner ; for even at that 
late hour, he was not given a minute’s 
rest until the four wild travellers were 
safely seated in a Pullman chair going 
north to New York. 


THE END 



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